


Red Riding

by keycoward



Category: Red vs Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, Alternate Universe - Little Red Riding Hood, Blood and Gore, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, M/M, Monsters, NSFW, Sorry Not Sorry, its not my fault if you cry, you guys walked into this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-02-28 21:19:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 33,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2747465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keycoward/pseuds/keycoward
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something stirs deep inside the depths of the forest. As it wakes so does Simmons and he left to figure out how to use his abilities to save his friends. But how can you help them when you might be the cause? AU- Horror Red riding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hands up

Maybe it was his red hair or maybe it was the red hoodie he wore all the time, but he was known as red riding hood.  
He hated it.  
In a small village named Grim stories were told about the wolves that lived in the forest. If you weren't careful they would steal you away, never to be seen again. Huntsmen tracked these fowl beasts and brought back their heads and furs as prizes. They were well worshiped in the small village because the wolves had taken so many. They took children who didn't listen and played in the woods. They took the young who go in by a dare. They took wives and husbands, widows and uncles. Never to be seen again, not a bone nor a scrap of cloth.  
That's what his village was known by others anyway. It was true that the forest of Lore held wolves in its thick trees. And it was also true that huntsmen were praised for hunting and killing them. Claiming their heads and skins as prizes. But it wasn't true that all who go in never come out. People went into the forest all the time and were fine. As long as you stayed on path or not stray to far from it you'd be okay. The wolves kept to themselves unless you had something you wanted. It was just simple enough to give it to them. Unless they wanted you.  
His father was a Huntsmen, the best there was. Richard Simmons, the hunter who could kill anything. Including his sons confidence!  
Richard "dick" Simmons was less impressive. He was pretty sure his Dad was hoping for another miniature version of him to just pop out of his mother. Already bearing a crossbow and tartan sash. But sadly, it was not the case.  
He had inherited his bright red hair and fairy song green eyes. But apparently that wasn't enough and he was rejected by his own father. His mother loved him enough to make up for it though. While she could. His mother was kind, sweet, warm and loving. She was an image of beauty. Long thick auburn hair that was always braided at the sides with a white ribbon. Molten chocolate eyes that bared every emotion in them. Fair skin and slender frame. She was the towns beauty until a harsh winter rolled in. She had caught a fever and passed away because no doctor could reach their village because of the storm.  
He missed her a lot.  
His father, from whom he inherited his flaming red hair and green eyes, never once showed his mourning. In fact, a week later you could hear his booming laughter as he brought a moon bear in. Inviting his friends over when he had it's head mounted on a wall and its fur as a blanket.  
Simmons despised him after that.  
For not mourning his mothers death, for killing a moon bear, a gentle beast who's nature it is not to fight, for disrespecting his mothers favourite animal. Simmons could barely speak to his father after that. Their conversations were short and to the point. Notes were left to communicate more than actually talking.  
Today was no different. He was delivering through the forest today. To the man named 'Sarge' who lived in a cabin in the forest of Lore. He ordered bread every other week and it was generally a route he liked taking. It was nice to get out of the village every now and then. Plus the fairy folk seemed to like him enough they greeted him.  
The forest of Lore didn't just house wolves. They housed many faerie folk and beasts of all natures. Moon bears had been his mothers favourite because of a few reasons. Their fur was pitch black and held white and blue spots like the stars on it. A moon on their shoulders that changed according to the moon int he sky. They were once said they were part of the sky. Gnomes, satyrs, fairies, nymphs, halflings, and mermaids (in the lake) dwelled there. Each seemingly comfortable with Simmons. He never could figure out why. He liked to think that it was because he liked to leave treats near the forest edge for them.  
He never bothered asking them. Mainly because he wouldn't be able to understand.  
Simmons peddled along on his bike, the assorted bread in a brown paper bag tied up with string in his back pack. His red hoodie zipped up part way to show his mustard yellow shirt that had the lone star icon on it. Black skinny jeans catching the tail end of the dirt his front wheel kicked up. He didn't want to make the senile man wait any longer today. The baker had been delayed so of course the delivery had been delayed.  
"Shit" Simmons cursed under his breath. He so wasn't getting a tip today.  
A branch fell from above that he didn't notice the gnomes were cutting down for their homes. It fell to close and he lost control of the bike, skidding off the path while he heard fairy shouts behind him. The terrain was too bumpy and he was going down hill too fast. Simmons kept ducking out of the way of branches, getting small cuts on his face. His glasses were knocked off and his poor vision led him into crashing into a rock. Simmons was sent soaring in the air and then thrown to the ground. Rolling a few feet until he knocked into something. It wasn't hard like a rock or a tree but soft and more solid than a bush. Soft but not prickly.  
It suddenly moved before Simmons could scramble away. The thundering growl that rumbled through the air as it rose. He can see it even with his blurry vision. One of the wolven.  
Ember eyes burned into him as a massive wolf of black fur approached him. It moves slowly towards him and was ready to pounce on him if he tried to run for it. It was looming above him now, placing a heavy paw on his chest to force him on his back. Simmons breathed in shallow breaths. He could see the skeleton of buck that had been licked clean. A claw pinned and tore his sleeve as the wolf's muzzle loomed closer. Simmons flinched away, clenching his eyes shut and gritting his to prepare for the worst. But it didn't come.  
What he thought would be a bite was instead a sniff. Followed by another. Soon he felt the large paw move off and the large noise of the wolf press against his chest. It soon looked towards the back pack that had fallen off him. Simmons went for it, his hoodie still keeping him pinned he unzipped it and scrambled out of it. He picked up the bag and unclasped it, tearing into the brown paper to grab two loaves. He threw them to the other end of the small clearing and bolted. Not sparing a glance back. He abandoned his bike and clambered up the steep hill. He heard a crack under his foot and reach for it to find his glasses. Simmons hauled himself up the steep drop and onto the main path. He panted for a few moments before looking at his glasses. One lens had a spider web crack while the other had a single crack. He sighed began walked down the path that led to Sarge's house.  
A deer halfling was kind enough to lead him there. It was a young buck who hadn't even grown his horns yet. His thick mop of unruly brown hair had a few braids in it and a necklace made of a few wooden pieces. The halfling didn't speak but had grabbed his arm and tugged to let him know he would lead. He thanked him even though he knew the buck wouldn't understand. He heard it scamper away and cautiously made his way to the cabin.  
He knocked once before the door flew open with a livid looking man. Three scars on the side of his face and a pipe in his mouth.  
"Why are you late-Simmons?! What in sam hell happened to ya?" He took in his appearance. Face and arms covered in scratches, glasses busted up, dried blood from a nose bleed he didn't know he had. Scrapped palms and leafs and twigs sticking to him.  
"A-A wolf sir, Sorry, I had to sacrifice a couple loaves so I could escape" Simmons handed him the package. Sarge took it and fished out a fifty.  
"Take it son, you look like you need it" He closed the door after that.  
...  
Simmons sighed. For probably the millionth. This path was long without his bike. He had no idea at which point he veered of the path yet to retrieve it. He was pretty sure he passed it since he was nearing the edge of the forest. He grumbled about how unfair this was and how expensive a new bike and glasses would be and how he hated that dumb wolf for forcing him to leave behind his favourite hoodie. He was glaring at the ground for a while until he looked up to check where he was.  
He froze when he saw the wolf again. It was sitting, waiting for him. Ears perked up and eyes trained on him. Simmons groaned and glared at it.  
"What do you want? Just leave me alone!" He shouted at it. He knew it was pointless though. The wolf couldn't understand him. It was just a wolf after all.  
It twisted its torso and brought out a red hoodie. Simmons's eyes went wide. The damn thing brought it back. He took careful and cautious steps towards it. Slowly and watching the great beast for any change until he was right in front of it. He took it carefully from its jaws and looked at the sleeve. The tear had been repaired by spider silk. Which was fairy work.  
"I-uh....thank you...this means a lot" Simmons said sheepishly. Simmons pulled the hoodie on again and straightened his appearance out. The wolf looked proud of itself until it started sniffing him again. Pushing him onto his butt and taking deep whiffs of him. The beast rubbed its head along his body. Simmons pushed against it as it started to tug on his sleeve Simmons started getting annoyed. "Hey! Stop that!" He yanked his arm away as he stood up and glared at the beast. It stared at him unimpressed and warbled and barked at him.  
Simmons rolled his eyes and walked past. The wolf yanked him back by the hood, making him fall back on his rear again. The large black beast sat in front of him again and made a series of little drawn out barks and whines and then perked his ears up like it made total sense. The red head ran a hand through his hair as the wolf wagged its tail.  
"I don't speak faerie" Simmons tilted his head. The large wolf grumbled unhappily. Simmons felt a twinge of guilt and sighed for the hundredth time that day. He reached up and scratched the wolfs ear. The black beast moved into the motion and toppled over on top of Simmons. "Get off me you fat fur ball!" Simmons pushed against the wolf in an attempt to break free. Getting a mouthful of fur as he yelled. The beast finally rolled off him and Simmons scrambled up. He glared at the wolf before turning on his heel and storming down the path home.  
He didn't expect the beast to actually follow him home. He looked behind to check if the damn thing was still following, and sure enough the damn thing was!  
It seemed to abandon him when he finally reached the village and when he looked back the wolf was gone. Simmons sighed in relief and headed towards the bakery to report in.  
...  
"Oh my heavens! What happened?" Mr. Flowers gasped when he caught a look at Simmons. "Dick you look like you've been in a car accident! That isn't what happened right? You're father would-"  
"Not notice" Simmons interjected. Flowers pursed his lips but didn't say anything. He guided Simmons to the back area and pulled out the first aid kit.  
"So what did happen?" He unbuckled the metal clasps as Simmons took off his hoodie for easier access to the scraps. Flowers shook out a few cotton balls out of a small plastic bag and rubbing alcohol. Unscrewing the bottle and placing a cotton ball on top before tipping it over to dowse it.  
"A branch fell beside me when I was biking on the path and I got spooked and lost control of my bike. I accidentally went down hill and hit a rock and went flying" Simmons gritted his teeth as each open wound was tabbed. The alcohol stinging him.  
Flower took gentle care with him, listening eagerly. "That landing must've hurt, I can't imagine hitting the ground like that." He put a plaster on the palm of Simmons hand.  
"Well, I didn't hit the ground exactly, more of rolled after I landed on something" Simmons looked away. Flowers caught this and gave him a reassuring smile. Simmons thought back to the wolf. He always had conflicting stories from his parents as he grew up. His father said that the wolves were these giant vicious beasts and if you crossed one you'd be lucky to be alive after. Attacking any human in their path and that's why it was an honour to kill one. His mother how ever said that the wolves in the forest were lonely, looking for someone. What was the wolf in the forest looking for? And why did it follow him?  
"What did you hit?" Flowers peeled the paper off of another plaster.  
"A-A wolf" Simmons looked away. Flowers had paused and stared at Simmons. He started to fidget under the older mans gaze, he didn't like being put on the spot like this. When Flowers resumed his treatment the young man had to keep himself from sighing in relief.  
"Taking after your father eh?"  
"No" Simmons shouted. Flowers was taken aback by the sudden outburst but smiled.  
"Then maybe your mother?" Simmons blinked. His mother? What did she have to do with anything "It's not common for the faerie folk in the forest to like us. We've killed many of them, plucked fairy wings to use in crafts, hunted their protectors, skin mermaid tails for their scaled armor. They despise us. But they always seemed to love your mother. She'd leave them treats by the forest edges away from the paths. Read stories to the trees and protect fairy rings with little fences. They loved her very much and for a little while, people here decided to do the same thing, leaving treats and protecting the fairy rings at least. But when she died....I think the forest went into mourning for a little while" Flowers gazed at Dick's hand, a little lost in the memories.  
"I-I do leave them treats by the forest edge...M-Mother told me that since they do so much work, they should be rewarded" Flowers looked up at him and smiled warmly.  
"You'll be just like your mother then, Julie would have been so proud of you" Simmons blushed. "You have her eyes you know?"  
"She had brown eyes" Simmons stated, his green ones narrowed.  
"Not the colour, her eyes were magic I swear, they exploded with how she felt. They once calmed old man Croutch from a fit. Your eyes are like hers. Warm and full of life." Simmons felt his face grow hot. Never had anyone ever compliment him or his eyes. It made him feel strangely more happy and just a little bit closer to his mother.  
They fell into a comfortable silence after that. With Flowers the baker patching him up, swabbing his cuts with rubbing alcohol and wrapping with left wrist in a tensor bandage. He suspected it was sprained. His thoughts drifted off to the wolf again. It's eyes this time. They were bright and gold, flakes of brown and copper in them. They were nothing he had ever seen before. The beast was large too. He himself was 6"5 but the wolf was a foot taller than him him when it sat upright. It was terrifying but at the same time, he felt like he would be okay. Like something inside would protect him. Simmons shook his head, trying to clear it.  
"Mr. Flowers....when I landed on the wolf...It didn't attack me, it seemed annoyed, maybe a little pissed that I fell on it, but it didn't try to kill me." Simmons looked out the window, seeing people pass by "all my life people have told me that the wolves are evil and dangerous. That they should be killed because they will kill us. But today showed me something else. That they are wrong"  
Flowers stood up and offered a hand for Simmons.  
"Dick, you are right but saying things like that around here is a bad idea. Your mother even knew that voices those thoughts would land her in trouble. There is a reason this town is called Grimm"  
...  
Simmons walked home, bandaged and a little tired from the days events. Everything seem to hit him at once as he walked home. His body was sore from being thrown from the bike, his wrist throbbed with pain. He finally realized that he had indeed sprained his wrist and it hurt like a bitch. It had to be his right hand too, he grumbled and continued on his way. He kept his hood up so he didn't have to have people staring at him face. His black jeans were covered in dirt and he was pretty sure he was going to have to wash everything, it slightly annoyed him. His glasses weren't as bad because he had a back up pair at home.  
But his bike.  
That was the problem.  
He used it to get around town for his deliveries and in and out of the forest. He sighed. It would be expensive to buy an entirely new bike. If he only had his old one he could fix it and it wouldn't cost him an arm and a leg. Then he'd have to explain t his father what happened and that would require talking to said father. He would was pretty sure that life liked to pick on him the most.  
He walked the familiar path that lead to lead to his home.  
His great grandfather build this large house when their town was being built. Made of wood and brick and over looked the village. It was a fine house if you could call it that. It had six rooms, one was his, then his fathers and what used to be his mothers. Then it was the "trophy" room, the study, then the weapons room and guest room. These weren't including the living room, kitchen, both bathrooms and the basement. Some would say he was "rich" but since he rarely used his families money he liked to think he wasn't. That he just came from a well off family. To be fair, no one in this town or "village" was poor. No poor lived here, not any sort of slums or bad neighbor hood. Everyone here was polite and all had jobs and went to school. But this was at a price. Different opinions were frowned upon unless you were like his mother and somehow got away with it. The other teenagers there were either snobbish or oblivious. It irked him a little bit but he still managed to get along with some of them, even if he couldn't talk about what really was on his mind. Church was a good friend, albeit on edge all the time and his girlfriend was probably the scariest woman alive but he considered her a friend too. She didn't live in this town though, she said she lived in another one but never told him which. Simmons left it as was. Then there Caboose, he came from on of the farms, his parents sent him to the schools Simmons had attended and they somehow became friends. Probably because he had latched himself to Church.  
He tried to regularly engage people in social interactions but lately he found that it was harder to do after graduating his school. They just weren't always around like he was used to. Caboose would pop by and bring another boy named Doc that graduated with them and they'd play a few rounds of arrows and axes but that was about it.  
Aside from Tex Simmons didn't talk to girls that often. Although he was even amazed she dated Church, seeing as how he was a bit of an asshole. He never witnessed any bad fights between the two but he'd hear about them sometimes. Mostly they just bickered a little bit before Church would shut up and Tex would gloat.  
"Hey Simmons" Speak of the devil.  
Church was standing by his mail box. Bored and readjusting his cobalt scarf. Apparently Tex actually made that for him as a gift. When he voiced his skepticism on it she threaten to beat him and Simmons immediately shut up. Church had been happy either way and usually wore it on chilly days, he stated he didn't want to wear it out by wearing it too often. (He could've sworn he saw Tex blush) Simmons really didn't want to be reminded by the fact that he's friend was in a happy relationship with a person who, despite seemingly hold contempt for everyone else, actually gave a rats ass about him. While he, didn't have any luck because this town sucked.  
"What's up Church?" Simmons tried to sound casual, his body was still sore and frankly he just wanted to lie in the bath with his long legs awkwardly bent and claim it was relaxing then sit at his computer redesign some web sites for easy money.  
"Ah, nothing really. I wanted to know if you wanted to go to come over and play some video games but I think you need a nap more than anything" Church looked him up and down, he gazed down expectantly. Crystal blue eyes watching every microscopic movement. Sometimes Church unnerved him a little bit, his bright eyes could seemingly drive a man insane like their math teacher who refused to look him in the eye. Because the one thing Church was excellent at was looking you in the eye while he called you a cock sucking moron with no hope for the future and that's why you applied to be a teacher at this damn school because there are no expectations left in your life so now you deal with us shitty teenagers. Simmons was actually surprised Church got high marks with his piss poor attitude let alone graduate along with him.  
"I had a bad trip out to Sarges house. A branch nearly fell on top of me and sent me down the side of the path. Wasn't fun" Simmons shrugged "I'm up for some gaming though. Which game?" They started up the hill that led to his home. Church kept his hands in his pockets  
"Gears of war what else? Was it the gnomes again? They for some reason keep going for higher tree branches" Church was one of the few like didn't pretend that faerie folk were resources and that they were actual creatures with thoughts, feelings, and loved ones. He often said that the human race were really just a bunch of dick heads looking for something to torture because waging war on ourselves had gotten old.  
"Sounds good- oh crap" Simmons stopped. The 1969 Chevy Yenko was in the drive way which meant his father was home. Church seemed to freeze to. The one person he never gave attitude to was Richard Simmons. He glanced at Simmons noticing him tense up, his fists curl slightly and nervous fairy song eyes focused on the car. "We should.....I'll play online....you should go....He's never home this early" Church nodded and slinked back slowly to the gates, casting the car a wary glance. Good things never came with Richard Simmons being home early. Simmons gulps and headed up the steps that followed to his front door. Each step he found became heavier. Like his legs were being weighed down with lead and the ground seemed to stick to his shoes. A knotting ball held tightly in his chest as he looked up at the large house. He took a hold of the door knob and twisted it, pushing the mahogany door open and stepping through the threshold.  
A small part of him hoped that if he stayed quite and made it to his room he wouldn't have to deal with the explanation of why he didn't have a bike anymore or why he looked like he had been playing the roll of a hacky sack between two stoned trolls. But of course in the daily life of Richard "Dick" Simmons, life generally like shit on him then point and laugh because his father had been waiting on the living room couch with a book in his hand. Judging by the bored look on his face he had been waiting for a while as well. He couldn't piece together why he would be though. His father actually had a job and that was community director. When Simmons shut the door as quietly as he possibly could his father snapped his head up. Reading glasses perched on the end on his nose and those green eyes that mirrored his twinkled a little bit. He closed the book and smiled at Simmons as he stood up. This was starting to get just a little uncomfortable for Simmons.  
"I heard you ran into a wolf today" Well his father was never one to beat around the bush. Always straight to the point with Richard Simmons.  
Simmons adjusted his bag strap uncomfortably  
"Yeah...by accident. I got spooked by gnomes sawing off branches when one fell near me and-" He could already see the boredom in his fathers eyes. Like an impatient child wanting to get to the part where the dragon and the knight fight inside of why they are fighting. "So I thrown from the bike and ended up landing on a wolf. I distracted the uh fat beast with a loaf of bread and escaped because I didn't have anything proper to kill it with" He tried to make the whole experience sound more lustrous than it was. Making it sound like he actually debated on killing the thing with his bear hands when in reality he nearly wet himself. But he could he could still see something twinkling in his fathers eyes.  
"And which route did you take when you saw the monster"  
Oh  
He wanted to kill it.  
Simmons hardened his eyes and clenched his fists "The path that leads to Harlock Groove...I wanted to see if any of the strawberries were blooming" That was a lie. But it did shut his father up for a moment. Mainly because Harlock groove is where they had gone picnicking a lot when his mother was alive. And she always loved the strawberries. For a moment he could see a twinge of regret in his fathers eyes when he covered it up.  
"I'm proud of you son"  
Okay what?  
"Being face to face with a wolf takes guts. Maybe you are a true Simmons after all." He tried to ignore the slight punch to the gut feeling and gave his father a meek smile. "Well I just wanted to see if you were alright. It seems little baker boy patched you up alright. I should be getting back to work. I won't be home until late tonight so I might see you in the morning. I'll expect dinner in the fridge." With that he walked to the front door, picked up his keys from the bowl and headed out the door. Simmons stood there, his gut in knots and his fists still clenched. He didn't feel bad about using the moral manipulation on his dad. Although he made himself feel like crap. Not having your mother around, especially when she was a great mother, generally made life seem like crap. But he could never quite move on.  
Simmons headed for the kitchen, looking through the cupboards before deciding on Oreos. He placed a row onto a plate and headed for the back entrance, opening the heavy door lead out to the deck and kicking open the thin frame door. He walked through the lush grass and gardens and placed the plate on the ground near he forest edge. He stood up, satisfied with himself.  
A rustling sound caught his attention and he saw his bike. He blinked, maybe it was the cracked lenses but it looked like teeth marks were dented into the metal frame. But his bike, that he abandoned in the middle of the forest, was now resting against a tree on the forest edge in his back yard. Far, far away from where it should be.  
A soft snort drew his attention to in front of him. The wolf was sitting in front of him. It's eyes calm and somewhat memorizing. This time Simmons didn't feel scared about the beast the could probably gobbled him up in a few bites. His father would've tackled it by now and try to kill it with his bare hands.  
"Why are you here?" Simmons asked quietly. The wolf perked its ears up and looked towards the bike. Its front wheel was bent and the chain was gone but the back tire seemed to be alright and none of the gears were broken. It would take a little bit for him to fix, he wasn't the best with fixing bikes but he at least knew how. The wolf shifted again. "Thank you...for getting my bike...and my hoodie...but why are you still here? You do know who my father is right? What he does to faerie folk?" He could see the wolf momentarily pause like it just realized before taking a few whiffs of the air and glaring at Simmons. "W-Well he isn't home right now! B-But he was a few minutes ago!" Simmons found himself stuttering and the wolf more interested in him. In leaned closer to him and sniffed him. It's wet nose touching the skin of his neck. Simmons shoved it away and glared at him  
"Why do you keep doing that? It's weird! Shouldn't you be trying to eat me or something?" The wolf snorted and started sniffing the oreos on he plate. It wagged its tail and gestured towards them with its nose. Simmons looked down on the plate and then back at the beast who looked impatient. The red head narrowed his eyes and moved the plate away from the large canine. It gave a pitiful whine and ceased the tail wagging. Simmons will power crumbled and he placed it on the ground in front of him. The wolf started at the plate while a fairy flew up to him. Her snow white skin slightly illuminated as her wings fluttered faster than his eyes could track. Her brown hair was short and half of it was shaved off.  
"Emskay atta ma!" She gestured to the beast, gleefully licking the plate. "Eskay atta ma con ta!" She looked angry.  
"Sorry I don't know what you're saying. I can get more oreos if you want." Simmons shrugged. She looked at him funny before shaking her head and pointing at the wolf again.  
"Emskay, Atta, ma, con, ta!" She spoke slower like it'd make more sense. Simmons glared at the small fairy. She grumbled angrily and flew right up to his face. She leaned in and kissed him, Grabbing him by the cheeks and pressing her tiny fairy lips to his human was. He nearly turned red in the face and he heard a rumbling growl. The fairy squealed and flew around him to hide in his hood. The wolf quickly circled him and pressed his muzzled against the hood until she squirmed out. Her snapped at her but she was quicker than him and dived down the front of his hoodie. Simmons squealed and the wolf barked in outraged and pressed his muzzle against his chest in a attempt to fish her out again. Simmons pushed on his muzzle and glared at him.  
"What's your problem! Don't try and eat her! Bad!" He scolded the unimpressed looking beast. It snorted at him and turned away. Grumbling and he could've sworn that he heard "asshole" from the wolf. He watched its form from darker and darker in the woods. He felt a pang of guilt hit his chest as the fairy squirmed and popped her upper body out of his hood.  
"Is he gone?" Simmons froze. Since when do fairies speak english? He looked down at her and blinked. She glanced up at him and stopped. Her gaze was directed at his eyes. She fluttered up to his face to get a closer look at him. Her tiny hands on his nose and her balancing on his lip. It kind of tickled but he didn't say anything. "So that's why....makes sense now" She tilted her head. She jumped back and fluttered in the air in front of him.  
"I'm Connie, but call me C.T" she held out a small hand. He supplied a finger which she shook. "I have blessed you with the ability to speak to faerie folk! No don't thank me! It was no problem at all" She smirked.  
"You-blessed? All you did was kiss me! thanks for asking for consent by the way!" Simmons glowered. C.T seemed to pause and landed on his shoulder. Narrowing her small eyes and observing him.She sat down n his shoulder her legs crossed and leaning forward to grumble. "What um.....What are you doing?" Simmons asked.  
"You are a very strange human. You don't have any intention of hurting any faerie, and your eyes."  
"My eyes?" Simmons asked skeptically.  
"Yeah, they are the colour of Fairy song! Rare"  
"My father has the same colour" Simmons looked away. C.T went quiet and sat down on a on a leaf. She stared up at him for a little while and Simmons stared back. This was weird. He could understand a fairy, he didn't expect her to be so sassy.  
Since no one spoke faerie, no one knew what they were like. Were they all sassy? Or ill tempered like the gnomes were? Or maybe timid and shy like the halfings! He hoped not at flirtatious as nymphs. He could always spot a nymph when ever they visited town, although he always kept quiet about them because if he pointed them out. Well his town isn't known as Gri for nothing right? The silence that had settled in felt thick and almost unbearable. He could see C.T mulling something over in her head. Looking at him that back down to stare at the ground, like she was seriously contemplating something while dusting of fairy dust. She sighed and rotated her shoulders to get wings going and stood up again. Hands on her hips. Her brown little Capri were all glittery now and her tank top was surprisingly not. He didn't have time to debate because she was in his face, narrowing her eyes and then grinning.  
"I've decided to let you figure this out on your own!" She fluttered back "After all, it is better if it's done the old fashioned way I guess" Simmons watched as she flew back into the forest. Not another word said. He scratched his head and looked back to his bike that was trashed from earlier events that day.  
"What the fuck is going on in the damn town?" He sighed


	2. Name sake

It had been two weeks since he last saw the wolf. He still thought about it's burning eyes, how they glimmered in comparison to its dark fur. Why instead it chose to observe him instead of attack him. Why it brought back his red hoodie and his bike after he didn't voice out his loss of them. It was confusing to say the least. But in a way, he was glad he had the chance to see one of the beasts his father hunted up close just so he knew his father was wrong to do so.

His bike had been sitting there busted for a few days before Simmons attempted to fix it. He had managed to get the front tire off it didn't help much when he tried to put a new one back on. It was frustrating because walking everywhere in this town. His deliveries were much slower and he practically had to run everywhere to get to each destination. He was going to attempt fixing it again but he found his bike repaired afterwards.

A single rose left on the seat for him. Simmons had blushed and smiled as he picked up the flower, it was very kind. He hadn't seen anyone around that day who was paying special attention to him. God knows it wasn't his own father. C.T had rolled her eyes and stared at him with her chin in her hands. She was tapping her foot while staring at him impatiently, like he should've known by now.

"What is it C.T?" Simmons asked as he admired the flower.

"Nothing!" She looked away from him before gazing back. She narrowed her eyes as she watched him study the flower. A sweet and sincere smile spread across his face. He leaned against the tree as a small blush crept onto his face. He watched the little fairy groan and grow more frustrated. "I'm not actually allowed to tell you. But it's gonna like, flip your life upside down...in a good way. But still it's gonna change a lot of things for you okay? That's all I'm gonna say on this matter. I should be heading back anyway." C.T stretched herself out and revved up her wings before flying back into the forest without so much as a wave of goodbye.

Simmons blinked and nearly called out for her but instead headed back inside. Maybe Church was on his Xbox and they could live chat for a little bit. Yeah, that sounded really nice actually. He didn't realize he still had the flower in his hands until he reached the door. He stared at in his hand for a moment before opening up the door. He didn't understand how a rose made it to his back yard. Did C.T mean that someone left it for him? C.T had said something was going to turn his world upside down. Simmons blushed on what that could mean. He shook his head and headed upstairs. The third step to the bottom creaked under foot. It always did.

Simmons sighed and kept climbing the stairs. His hand on the polished wood railing as he made his way up each step. The flower stem was intertwined in his fingers as he stroked a petal. It felt strange to him.....like it was something that was distant...but yet close. Simmons couldn't explain it. He finally reached the top of the stairs and headed towards his own room. The door indistinguishable from the others. A wooden door surrounded by white wall. The dark wood trim ran along the floor. The floor a dark wood he couldn't recall at the moment. He grasped the brass door and turned the knob. He drifted through the door and kicked it shut and stood still for a moment. He observed his room. His bed neatly made, the pages of hand written old pages still were scattered on his desk. The pressed flowers on their pages. His mothers various journals still stacked where he had put them. His laundry looked the same and nothing was out of place. Simmons let out a shaky breath. Careful and counted steps led him to his desk and he placed the flowers on the pages. He turned away from it and counted his steps to his Xbox,

1,2,3,4,5,6 He gently pressed the power button and watched the green ring blink to life. His fingers skimmed along the back of the TV and found the power button. He clicked it and picked up his controller off the charging station. Simmons noted the dust on the console and rim of his T.V and made a mental note to dust it all when he had the chance to. Sighing inwardly he turned and headed towards his bed.

1,2,3,4 He collapsed on the bed and plucked his headset from the side table. Shifted in his bed to get comfortable before he kicked off his shoes and watched the screen come to life. He adjusted the headset on his head and texted Church to tell him he was on. He waited three minutes before Church texted him telling he wasn't on yet. Simmons shrugged and started to play Mass effect 3. Save for his TV his house was eerily quiet as usual. The large house only housed two people and they didn't have any pets.

He was about Twenty minutes in when his phone went off. He grumbled and swiped to answer to the call. It was flowers

"Hi there Simmons, I know it's your day off but would you be able to run a few herbs and spices over to Sarge's he placed an unexpected order and I'm afraid I can't leave the bakery while the bread loaves in the oven." Flowers apologized. Simmons smiled and adjusted his glasses on his face.

"Yeah sure, I didn't have much to do today anyway" Simmons agreed "I'll be by the bakery in ten minutes and make the run" Simmons ended the call and shifted up again. He stretched briefly and shuffled towards his shoes and toed them on. Grabbing his hoodie from the end of the bed and pulling it on. He grumbled and bent down to put them on properly and tie up his laces. He grabbed his one strap pack and hauled it over his head and secured it on his chest. He slipped out of his bedroom door and closed it properly, letting it become indistinguishable from the other once more. He ignored how weird it made him feel and started down the stairs. Counting each step until he got to the third from the bottom. It creaked under foot again. The creak echoed throughout the large house for a moment, cutting the silence with a whimper before it was swallowed again. Simmons headed towards the back door. He opened the door and entered onto the terrace. Closing the door behind him. Cutting himself from the suffocating silence of the house. He glanced down the terrace porch for a moment The faded wood was a pale teal now from time was under his feet. Simmons kept moving, a few quick strides and he opened the screen door and shut it behind him before going down the three steps. The second was breaking, he'd have to fix it soon or someone could get hurt. He jogged over to his bike and mounted it. Kicking up the kick stand and backed into the small path he created in the forest.

It was hidden behind the first row of trees and traveled down towards the small town of Grimm and came out just before it. It provided enough cover that people didn't know you were coming unless they were looking for you but you could see the town. On the other side was the depths of the forest. Filled with shadows and foliage and most likely faerie folk who were watching you back. Simmons, Church and Tex used it quite as a good way of avoiding unwanted attention. In reality Church and Tex used it to just chill while Simmons rode through it on his bike. He stood on the petals as he went down the path way. Finger on the break just in case something popped up at him. The path was riddled with roots of the trees and was too bumpy for him to stay seated on the bike, forcing him into and unsteady position on the bike. The wind breezing through his red hair as he was poised forward, leaning in to the wind. He saw his opening approaching quickly. He leaned slightly and the bike angled with with him, he shot out of the trees and onto the road leading into town.

He hit the dirt and dust trails followed his back tire as he pedaled into town. It was a short ride into town on his bike than on foot. The wind felt great in his hair as he sat on the seat. He ran a hand through his hair before taking a left towards the bakery.

Ms. Shelia waved at him with a pleasant smile. A paper bag full of baked goods in her slender arms. Her cabin was deep in the woods and she trekked into town every other day on foot from the woods. She never looked tired and never seemed to age a day. She was warm kind of beauty. Like a mothers love that enveloped you tightly.

He rode right past her and went for the bakery. He peddled an little faster and stood on both and jumped the curb to get onto the side walk. He took a tight turn down a narrow alley way. The stone brick only going up so far as wires between the two building linked them together overhead. He took another sharp turn and parked his bike by the door. He pulled on the heavy latch door and stepped inside the warm sweet smelling bakery. He saw the brown paper package on the counter all ready for him. Mr. Flowers came into the back and smiled at Simmons. His long strawberry blonde hair was tied into a low pony tail as usual and his warm grey eyes looked down on him.

"Right on time as always aren't you Simmons?" He set a tray of sticky buns on the cooling rack. The red head nodded quietly and he gave a laugh. Simmons grabbed the package and slipped it into his parcel bag and secured the bag to his person. "Ride safely Simmons" With that he left and threw a leg over his bicycle seat. He kicked off and started down the back alleyway narrowly avoiding silver trash cans and garbage that lay forgotten and scattered on the dirt ground. He sped for the street opening that was past several buildings.

...

Dick looked above him avidly this time. Making sure no little bearded men were hacking off branches like buts again. He didn't feel like taking another tumble down the steep hills. It was quiet except for the sounds of nature buzzing about him. He felt much happier here than moping around in town. Nothing really to do there. Except playing video games but that does get old after a while.

Dirt and dust was kicked up behind him as a little dust tail followed him on the road. He was happy and content with his pace until a honk from a truck came out of nowhere. He jumped slightly and slammed on his breaks. The thin tire wheels skidded for a meter before stopping. He whipped his head around and glared at the burnt orange truck behind him. He sneered at the driver before walked his bike over to the side so the truck could pass. The truck passed and the driver rolled down his window to give him a look. Simmons stared back at him. The man had thick brown hair that was tied up in a pony tail. He could imagine it being down and probably being unruly and a mess. He had a little bit of black facial hair on his chin that had started climbing up his jaw line. His eyes were brown like the bark of a tree and warm as soft fur. They shone with a bright ember flame just a glimmer. His thick tan arm was dangling out the window covered in tattoos. He couldn't get a good look at them as he drove by. But he felt his gaze stay on him until he passed. He did notice the rifle in the passenger seat.

His image was burned into his brain.

Simmons blinked. A plum of dirt whipped up as the driver sped by quickly. Simmons waved off the dirt and coughed. He took notice of the man bumper stickers.

"How's my bumper taste asshole?" Simmons repeated.

He scowled and started biking again. Kicking off the dirt and peddling harder forward. Sweat beading on his brow. He was starting to get a little sweaty under his hood. Maybe wearing the long sleeved shirt today wasn't a good idea. It was about five minutes until he spotted the truck again. He saw the man again, his gun out and aimed at something in the woods. It seems he found a prey already. But as grew closer he saw his lower his gun and lifted his head, like he could smell something. He turned his head and looked directly at Simmons. The red felt a tad flushed as his eyes made contact with the strangers. The man shook his head and took aim once again and pulled the trigger. Simmons nearly stopped at the sound of the gun shot. He watched the man trudge forward through the tall grass and take his prey. He shot a deer. He grabbed it by its antlers and hauled it with a surprising ease. He dragged the dead animal through the dirt and grass and through into the bed of his truck. Pulling out a knife before he climbed into the bed of his truck.

Simmons passed him.

Not wanting to know what happened next.

He peddled faster and soon recognized the crossing trees that lead to a clearing.

A log cabin came to view. The oak had been painted red a while ago and the roof was covered by a big black tarp. Probably to keep the rain out. The owner didn't exactly like going out and fixing it every year.

Simmons parked his bike against the gate that bordered all along the house. He flipped the latch on the other side and closed the gate behind him. Simmons walked along the cobble stone path and up the few steps. He knocked three times on the red door and waited. It creaked open by a crack. A grey eye peered through from the dark. It narrowed for a moment before it shut again and the chain slide off the lock. The door opened once again to reveal Sarge. The three jagged marks still clawed down the right side of his jaw. His eyes were old and narrowed.

"Simmons" He gruffed. The red head unzipped his bag and searched for the brown paper bag. "So has your father gone looking for the wolf that ya ran into?" Simmons stopped and stared at him with confused eyes.

"How did you know about my dad...looking for it?" His arms slowed.

Sarge gave a hearty laugh. "I'm the one who told him about the damn thing. If it's a bad wolf it should be put down!"

Sarge ceased his laughing when he saw the look of horror on his face. Simmons thought back to the ember eyes of the dark wolf. How they positively glowed like the sun on a beach. The dark fur like burning logs on a summer camp fire. How warm he just felt with those eyes. Now Sarge had told his dad about it? Did he tell him where to find the beast? Had his dad already done the deed? Sarge watched the boys face.

"I'm sorry should I not have? Did you want to?" He shifted from foot to foot. "I mean the damn thing was rabid most likely. You can tell because their eyes are red and beady lookin' Always snarling and looking for innocent souls" He looked grumbled.

"It wasn't like that!" Simmons yelped. He clutched the bag a little tighter. "Its eyes were....warm..and bright and-"

"Hey old man!" A voice called out from behind him. He turned around and saw the brunt orange truck parked outside the gate. The man. He could really just describe as man. The red flannel shirt that was rolled up on the sleeves. His dark brown hair tied up in a pony tail. Dark brown eyes were hard like the pieces of a broken ship torn apart by the rocks. "I got a buck in the back and busted Bowie knife"

Sarge gruffed and picked up a large knife from a small table beside the door. The man came up behind Simmons and he felt his heart beat erratically.

The man inhaled deeply through his nose and exhaled through his mouth and cast a glance to Simmons. Those eyes burned him deeply the longer they made eye contact. Sarge cleared his throat and Simmons realized he had been staring.

So had the other man.

"You broke yer knife huh? What's stopping you from breakin' mine?" He crossed his arms. The man looked him up and down "You never were too careful with things Grif"

Grif.

That was his name.

The bigger man passed Simmons and glared at the older man. "I have a buck in the back of my truck. You can do it yourself if you don't trust me!" Grif growled.

"Now yer just being a fat lazy asshole" Sarge passed him a large knife.

"Be careful with Heather" Sarge growled. Grif rolled his eyes and trudged back to his truck. Grumbling under his breath. Green eyes watched carefully as the pudgy man climbed into the back again and started to work on the buck again. The sound of knife sliding into the flesh of the deer cracked like a whip through the air. But not as badly as when he started to pull the hide off the buck. Simmons cringed and turned away from it, clenching his eyes closed. Sarge took notice and gave him a look of pity. Grif looked up as he finished and raised a thick brow. He hopped off the truck bed with the hide in hand. He dropped it on the porch and headed around to the side for the hose. Simmons shifted uneasily from foot to foot. He finally took out the package and form slip and handed them to Sarge as Grif pulled a hose over to his truck. Sarge patted himself down before cursing for a pen and retreated inside for a few moments. The red head turned around and quietly watched Grif clean out his truck bed. Noting the red tainted water that poured from the back. Sarge came back with a pen and signed the form and handed it back to the lanky lad.

Simmons stuffed it back into his bag and cast another glance at Grif before he climbed into his truck and drove down the dirt road.

"How do you know that guy?" Simmons asked quietly. Sarge stiffened noticeably before he leaned against his door frame. His eye set into heavy cast

"He works for me at my lumber yard. I appointed him chief a few months ago." He grumbled "Why?"

"O-Oh..."

"Why the sudden interest? You met him before?"

"No I just feel.....never mind" He shook his head. Sarge sighed and patted his shoulder before he stiffened

"That little shit didn't bring me back Heather"

...

Simmons huffed and puffed as he rode down the dirt road. Sarges orders weighed on his mind. He had to go find Grif and bring back the prized knife named heather.

He had no clue why a knife was so important to the man.

Or why it was named the same as his shotgun.

He was given a crudely drawn map of the road Grif would go down and the small town he lived in. His grunge music played in his ears as I peddled faster and took a turn he rarely used. He went down it once before when he wanted to go explore the forest trails. He used small odd coloured stones to guide his way back home. It had worked well but he had memorized the route in the single time and didn't have to worry about it this time. He soon could hear rap music blaring out of an orange truck that was parked on the side of the road. Simmons slowed to a stop and parked his bicycle next to the truck that was booming out _'Gangsta Bitch'_

He rolled his eyes and continued on his way. He could see where the grass had been freshly stomped on and followed the stomped path. He grumbled under his breath about hunters and all unnecessary killing of animals. He finally reached his way to where the man had stopped and Simmons rounded around a tree to see him enjoying a pleasant nap in the shade.

Simmons raised an eyebrow at the smile curved on his thick lips. A small gust of wind blew fro behind him and lightly ruffled his long thick hair. His eyes opened wide and he sat up. Staring at Simmons with a curious gaze before tilting his head, sort of how like a dog would.

"Can I help you or are you just gonna stare at my sexy body all day?" He smirked.

"Like hell. You have Sarges knife and he wants it back. Really badly" Simmons straightened up. He tried not to let the blood rush to his cheeks and tightened his fists. The smile dropped from the mans face and he laid back down in the grass. Enjoying the shade and the warmth.

"Knife is in the cab of my truck. Driver door is unlocked. You can get it yourself. I'm gonna continue my wonderful nap that you interrupted." He let out a sigh. His lips pressed into a firm line and before he turned on his heel and walked back the way he came.

Swatting tree branches and bushes out of his way along the uneven path underfoot. He rolled his sleeves up and looked around for any creatures. He never really came to this part of the forest and he knew a lot more species tended to live farther from his town.

Longer life span.

He happened to notice a deer halfling following him. A male with Auburn hair that was pulled back into a messy ponytail. Was trailing him quietly, seeing what he was up to. Simmons felt a little uneasy but continued his way to the burnt orange truck. He finally opened up the door after much contemplating and searched for the knife. Inside he was hit with smell of fast food and cigarettes.

He wrinkled his nose and opened the side console.

He saw a couple of alternative rock CD's and a rolled up porn mag to which he rolled his eyes. He looked through glove box to find a girly pop CD with a woman on the front who was wear a one piece made out of leafs and a coconut bra with banana's.

"Paty Kerry? Oh god I don't know how to feel about that" He looked at another CD that had famous female rap artist in a skimpy outfit. He flipped it over to see the track list and squinted at the track names. "Dollar on poles? Bitches ain't shit? What the hell" Simmons ceased his search in the glove department when a string of condoms fell out. Next he pulled down the passenger side visor down to see if it was stuck up there before doing the same to the drivers side.

On the drivers side a pair of aviators and a picture of the owner of the truck and a girl were arm in arm smiling at the camera. Grinned like crazy and practically cheek to cheek. They were both tan and brown eyed. Her hair was a bit shorter than his and had a nose stud. He looked the same. He flipped it back up after not finding the knife.

"Where the hell could it be-it's on the fucking dash....are you kidding me" Simmons fell back against the drivers seat. A certain seat was knocked out of the fabric and wrapped itself around Simmons. A type of cologne. It wasn't a strong musk and was slightly spicy. He closed his eyes and inhaled it.

It smelled so good until he realized he was smelling a mans cologne in said mans truck.

He grabbed the knife off the dash and hurried out the door when he was met face to face with the halfling. Simmons closed the door as it narrowed its eyes at him

 _'What does that Shizno think he's doing in Alpha Grif's mobility transport? Disgusting shizno getting his grimy little hands everywhere.'_ It stomped a hoof. Simmons pursed his lips and stared at the rude halfing.

"Excuse me" He passed the creature, trying not to cause a conflict. It stomped its hoofs a few more times and chased after him. Angry that he took something out of the truck. _'Disgusting shizno thief! Put it back! Put it back thief!'_ Simmons grumbled and drew out the knife.

"Look it's not his. It's a mutual friend of ours. He just forgot to give it back so I'm returning it to it's rightful owner"

 _'This Shizno lies thinking he is smarter than I!'_ It circled him menacingly. Simmons reached his limit for the day.

"Do you want to get gutted by Richard Simmons right now! I have a knife and I'm fed up with your greater than thou attitude. So prance the hell out of here with your over sized ego and suck up to some other mythological creature because I am not in a good mood." He jabbed the knife for good measure.

The halfling stopped and gave him a look of pure terror.

 _'The monster Richard Simmons is before me! And he speaks our language!'_ He backed away and ran into the woods.

Simmons sighed in relief and swung a leg over the bike seat.

"You're Richard Simmons? The murdered asshole who hunts wolven and other creatures for sport?" A voice growled behind him. He looked back to see the man called Grif behind him. Looking livid. "You are the bastard who started skinning a moon bear while it was still alive?" He stomped towards him.

Simmons froze and gulped nervously. "Wait no, you're misunderstanding!" He backed his bike up a little.

"Misunderstanding?! Misunderstanding what?! You held down a faunus and cut off it's antlers! You killed a mermaid and plucked its scales! You shot down a baby harpie from it nest! You're the mass murdered of the magic folk Richard Simmons!" He looked like he was ready to punch him. His eyes burn a dark orange.

"Junior" Simmons squeaked.

"What?"

"Richard Simmons....Junior....I'm his son." He rubbed his arm nervously. Grif snorted and crossed his arms and kept his glare icy and steady.

"Matter of time before you become like your father. It always happens."

Simmons snapped. "I will never be like that man! Fuck you. I'll be like my mother!" He peddled away quickly. Anger pumping through his veins. Dirt kicking up from behind him as he went. His jaw was tight and his face felt hot. That wasn't fair. That wasn't fair at all.

His father had ruined the name Simmons to all. If he had kids their name would be cursed. Scratch that if he ever got married he would take his partners name. His fingers felt numb from clutching at the handle bars so hard. His knuckle were white as he slowed down to the cross roads. He pulled to a stop and took a few deep breaths. Uncurling his fingers he stuck them in his pockets and glared at the ground.

He was sick of today.

.....

The ride back home was silent.

He didn't want to listen to music or a podcast drama like he usually did. He just wanted to ride in peace. But he noticed the forest was oddly silent as well. No gnomes or fairies were around or even sprites. He slowed his pace to a stop and looked around. It was very odd indeed. Not even birds were flying around above him. They all stayed perched on the ranches, hiding from something Simmons couldn't see.

The bushes suddenly rustled from 20 feet behind him. He snapped his head back and watched the trees sway. A foot on the pedal just in case.

An enormous wolf leaped out of the trees. Snarling and skidding across the path. Simmons kick started his biked and peddled faster. He could hear the wolf running after him, snapping its jaws and growling.

"Holy shit! _Hooooly_ shit! Holy shit! Holy Shit! _Shit! Shit! **Shit!**_ " He could see the opening just up ahead. Leading into town. He couldn't think about the safety of everyone else at the moment. He was terrified and most likely about to get gobbled up. He could only think about how slow he was peddling, how fast the wolf would catch up to him. He couldn't look back, it would be his undoing.

He skidded in his turn and gained speed going down the path he, Church and Tex used. He had to keep going. Branch scratched his face and the roots made him bounce around. He spared a look behind him, hoping the wolf would be deterred by approaching the town. He saw it skid and smash in the the trees, taking two of them down.

The trees snapped and fell to the ground as the wolf shook it off and spotted him again. It let out a howl before taking off after him again. Simmons kept his eyes forward and made a sharp turn out of the path.

It was pure luck that he saw his fathers car driving up the path that lead to their home.

"DAD!" He shouted. Peddling faster "Dad Help!" He screamed. It somehow caught the hunters attention because his car slowed to a stop and his window unrolled.

"Dick? What are you doing?" He questioned. Simmons looked behind him again just in time to see the wolf leap out from the path way again. Charging after him.

"Dick look out!" He snapped his head forward as he crashed into his fathers car and was sent flying. He bounced off the ground twice before he was sent into a roll and finally stopped in the grass. His entire body burned with pain. He could barely move a finger and felt something warm dampen the side of face. He used all of his strength to lift his head.

The wolf jumped over the car, ignoring his father complete and slowed down. Walking slowly towards him. White foam dripping from it fangs as its red crazed eyes were locked on him.

"What do you want from me?" He croaked.

 _"Blood"_ It growled. Simmons widened his eyes _"To bite and feel blood on my fangs. To hear your screams of agony as I tear your flesh and bones apart."_ It drew closer to him.

"I won't scream" he squeaked. The wolf loomed over him. Simmons clenched his eyes shut and readied himself.

He was met with wolf's cry of pain. He opened an eye to see a bear trap clutching in the wolfs shoulder. A long chain connected to it. It snarled and turned to his attacked who had gun pointed at it.

Three shots were fired and the wolf fell on top of Simmons. He managed to crawl out from the beast to see his father standing in front of him. An expression of genuine worry on his face. He reached down and dragged Simmons out the rest of the way out and clutched on to him.

They stayed like that for a few moments.

His father breathing heavily and clutching onto him like a life line.

"I saved him... _Patience_ I saved him" His father whispered softly. He could feel his father trembling slightly. His eyes felt heavy but he could feel his father pick him up. This wasn't how his father usually acted. The man he had painted as cruel wouldn't tend to his son like this.

He would be more concerned with his prize and glory. About how he won the fight with only three shots and an accurate throw of a bear trap. The thrill of the fight and how he was just brilliant as always.

That was the man Simmons knew as his father. Not the man holding on to his son tightly to stop his own trembles.

His father carried him to the car in his arms. Abandoning his gun and the wolf in the grass.

"It's going to be okay Dick, don't worry. I'm going to call the doctor and he's going to have bed prepped for you at the hospital. You'll be just fine. Just hang in there" He mumbled as he opened the car door to the passenger side.

Ducking his head and placing him gently in the seat. He heard the click of the seat belt and the door closing. Richard took out his cell phone and dialed up Doctor DuFresne and retrieved his gun from the grass. It rung only a few times before he was greeted.

"Richard, good to hear from you"

"Hey Martin. I need a bed prepped for Dick. There's been an accident and he needs medical attention as soon as possible" He stared at the dead wolf at his feet. The one who had chased his son from the forest like a bat out of hell.

"Jesus christ what happened?" The doctor sounded concerned. His own son was friends with Dick Simmons, he would no doubt be shocked at the news that his friend ended up in the hospital.

"They are growing bolder Martin, those damn wolfs are growing bolder and more aggressive" He cursed through clenched teeth. Glaring at the dead creature who had wanted to eat his own son.

"Richard....has he been bitten? You know I can't do anything if he was bitten by an Alpha" Martin asked cautiously. This was a slippery slope.

"No, he was going to fast when he was trying to get away from a wolf. He crashed into my car and was thrown quite a bit. He wasn't bitten Martin" Richard sighed.

"I'll have a bed prepped Richard, don't worry." He hung up and Richard headed back towards the car, dialing another number in as he rounded his way to the trunk.

"Director, he have an issue"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. That took longer than expected. Okay. So originally this was 6000 words. but I did have to edit somethings that I didn't like out of it. So it might just be shy of 6000. Leave a comment and Kudos.


	3. For heather

_ It was like staring into a starless sky. Dark and empty, you lay motionless as it calls for you, whispers sweet nothing before it drags you into it warm but cold embrace. Blanketing you in the darkness of its soul and its whispers turn to howls roaring in your ears. You feel weightless and neutral and your eyes can open but you see nothing. You don't see the nothingness and yet you do. You feel its eyes watching you and many whispers with your name. _

_ _

Grif gazed down the road as his sister prattled on about her day at work. She worked at one of the two burger joints in Hail Mary hollow. He did prefer it over the other and he was pretty sure the reason they hired her at first was so they didn't lose his income. He bought his lunch there every day to check up on his sister and grab three triple cheese burgers with onions, pickles, mayo, mustard and ketchup, and a two large orders of fries with a three shakes, one of each  flavour . He always debated on getting an order of onion rings, he had to watch his weight. But if his sister took his order he always got them.

 Apparently her and her partner Volleyball had grown quite fond of the new girl Jensen, who was 15 and  human , unlike the two of them. His sister, the Beta, and her partner volleyball who was an alpha were sometimes the topic of the day at the lumberyard. Of course his fellow co-workers tried to keep him from hearing about it but he always did.

His sister was bouncing around in her seat, talking about how the cute new girl dropped the fries on the floor twice today because she was so nervous and that was "cute" to her. He didn't see the appeal in her descriptions of Jensen. The young girl kept her hair in braids and wore thick glasses and was covered in freckles. She was petite and pudgy and had a metal train track in her mouth. Not his type in the slightest. His sister was lucky, she had found her mate, and her mate was a   **B.B.B.B** ****

Bleach

Blonde

Beach

Bunny

He sighed as she went on with her day. How apparently the new guy, Palomo had been flirting with all three girls on her shift. Jensen had been flattered at first until he started hitting on Volleyball and herself. She grew irritated with his attempts and ignored him the rest of the shift. He cautioned her to put on her seat belt for the hundredth time during her story, to which she got angry at him for interrupting him. It was a completely normal ride home through the forest for them, just like any other day.

Until an overwhelming sense of danger cast over him. It sent prickles up his skin and set his nerves on fire. Clawing at him and he could remember those red eyes from his childhood again.

He slammed on the brakes and Kaikaina bounced her head off the dashboard. She growled at him as she sat back in her seat, rubbing her head and narrowing her eyes.

    "Jeez! If you wanted me to put on my seat belt you could've just said so instead of doing that!  Grif ?" She blinked. 

Her older brother was gripping the steering wheel for life with wide eyes. His fangs bared and claws digging out. His more lupine features coming out into play. He was breathing heavily and looking around frantically. He nearly ripped off his truck door to get out of the cab.

    "Grif! What's wrong?" Kaikaina kicked her door open and rushed around the bed of the truck. She saw  Grif  clutching at leafs on the ground and digging his fingers into the dirt, breathing hard and looking like he was about to turn. She lifted his head to see his face he growled. Kai jumped back and snarled back at him. " Grif  what's going on with you?" 

He shook his head and growled again "I don't know!" His eyes flickered around, staring at the trees "I think there's a hunter around. I feel like, something bad is happening" He grunted out. His sister winced and stood up. She closed her eyes and took a whiff of the air, focusing before opening her eyes again and looking around.

    " Grif , there are no humans around. You are acting like you have a mate that's in danger!" Kai raised a hand to stroke his head.

    "Impossible! That stupid pampered brat has a dad that is our greatest enemy! He's fine-" He yelped as his muscles burned for the change and run. He was fighting every nerve in his body and grit his teeth. Growling out his frustrations. He dug his palms into the dirt as he felt his bones shift under his skin. Sweat beaded his brow dripped down his chin.

    "How do you know that! And why didn't you tell me you found your mate! That's is so selfish of you  Grif . Like, I'm _  supposed  _ to know all the important things that are going on in your life! You found your mate and didn't even freakin-"

    "Kai! More important things! Like I dunno,   _I'm changing against my fucking will!_ " Grif snapped his jaw. She narrowed her eyes and growled back.

    "That's because you are fighting your own instincts! You should go find him! It could be important and it's not a good idea just to let your fucking mate die!" She stomped her foot.

  _"Language!"_   Grif  managed to correct her.

    "Shut up and stop fighting! He's in danger, life threatening danger! Go!" She shouted at him.  Grif  cracked his neck and let the changeover take him. Shredding his clothes and work boots as he tore out there. Tracking the red headed man with his nose. Kai smiled and got into the driver’s side of the truck and rummaged through the console until she found her CD. She grinned slipped the  disc  inside.

* * *

By the time he got to the town of Grim he was out of breath and panting. Tongue lolling out of his mouth as he looked around. He didn't smell the gingersnap around anywhere in the forest so he continued along the outskirts, smelling out the man. His eyes narrowed at the incline of the hill and snorted, putting his nose to the ground again. He gave a small whine before padding up the hill, his nose tracing him a path. 

He had mixed feeling about looking for the son of a murderer. He didn't want to believe that what he has sensed what he had, the smell of autumn and an electric smell of copper. It was soothing in a way that made him want to take a nap on top of him in the meadows. He shook his head. No! He did not want to do that. He wanted to continue his peaceful, dull life, in Hail Mary Hollow. Being a single  lumber jack  and living with his younger sister was fine. He made good money and he enjoyed the small town of Hail Mary Hollow and his friends. He had perfectly fine with being alone aside for the occasional date and a drunken night.

His ears perked to hear all the sounds of the forest. He stood still silently and looked around. Getting slightly annoyed as he saw nothing but felt the danger. Then he could hear it.

The frantic breath and the smell of sweat. The sound of a heart beating faster than it should, pumped by fear. He crept slowly to the forest side to observe and stay hidden. His muscles felt jumpy and he had to shift weight from each side to keep himself from going crazy. He didn’t see anything, but he heard the undeniable fall of trees coming from the north side. His fur bristled and he could smell the scent of blood lust and the subtle scent of a fallen one. He couldn’t stop the growl that rumbled through him nor the whine of **_fear._**  

He saw him. The redhead. Burst through the pathway, peddling for his life, the terrified look in his green eyes as he begged his legs to go faster. He wasn’t able to steer straight and he had spotted his father. Calling for help. For his father, the murderer to help him escape a fallen one. He cast a look behind him to see how far it was behind him. Its claws tearing up the dirt and as its might legs raced the beast towards the redhead. Towards his mate. Then he crashed into his father’s car and was launched into the air. He was sent flying 20 yards from his father. His distance from him was 80 yards from him approximately. His senses zoomed and everything slowed down.

The initial contact with the ground. 

His shoulder hitting first and the slow bend until his ribs hit. His knees knocked together and landing on his wrist on a bad angle. His knees knocking together and his scared expression. The realization that he had hit the ground at fast speed. The pain that went unnoticed from fear and panic rushing through his veins. He bounced off the dirt into the air again. His legs and arms swimming in the air for something to grab. The scream the ripped from Simmons throat. Blood pumping through his veins and pounding in his ears. His glasses slipping off and smashing into the ground.

The second meet was tainted with blood.

He landed on his back, bashing his head against the ground. His eyes losing focusing as his legs kept moving in motion. Pulling him to leave the ground again. Dragging his back against the stones and drops of blood spilling from the back of his head. Dirt and dust kicking up from the ground, plotting each impact he made. His body kept going, hitting his chest, elbows and back again until he skidded on his knees then spiraled into a roll. Finally coming to stop and the dust cloud cleared away. His body, bruised and battered. His face was scratched and his nose was bleeding. His gaze out of focus and expression blank and almost serine. The birds scattering in a flurry  Grif  could almost feel the burn of pain. 

The fallen one barreled towards him. Its paws like thunder against the ground. It’s harsh breath reeking of death and its own dying blood. He wanted to urge forward, to chase after the beast and tackle it down as it leaped over Richard Simmons car. But he felt chills down his spine and took a step back.

He heard the distinct fire of three shots. He looked back again and saw the Hunter had shot the fallen down. He felt a wave of relief hit him as he watched the father of his mate pull him out from under the wolf and cradle him. He continued to observe as the pair get into the car and drive into the town. He quickly padded over to the fallen and sniffed.

It was still breathing. The wounds were already healing and it would most likely get up soon to find it’s pray. Grif narrowed brandy eyes and lunged at its throat. The beast squirmed for a moment before he ripped out its jugular. He spat it out and watched as it bled out.

“WOLF!” Someone screamed. He snapped his head to a thin man pointing at him. His ears flattened and he bolted to the woods. Gun shots fired but none hitting him. He was lucky this time.   


* * *

 

It hurt to open his eyes at first. His body begged for more sleep but his mind had had enough. He blinked to adjust his sight. Everything was a big blur at first but he managed to focus his sight into the familiar sort of blurry he was used to. He willed himself several times to try and sit up before he managed it. He looked around for his glasses to see their blurry outline on the side table. When he put them on he noticed one side was smashed and the other had cracks.

_“Great”_ He muttered and sighed.  At least one eye could see.

He looked down to his arm and noted the bruising and scraps. The ones that were worse were wrapped in gauzes. His arm had an IV stuck in it and he could only imagine what the rest of his body looked like. He groaned and felt around for the hospital bed switch so he could raise the bed so he was sitting up with some assistance. He waited until his back touched the mattress to stop and lean against it before calling for a nurse.

He remember coming to a few times before, but not for very long. He would usually fall asleep again. He remembered a few faces seeing him briefly. Church and Tex, Caboose, his father, and someone he didn’t recognize. He even thought Sarge had stopped into see him. He smiled slightly, his friends were at least there for him. His body ached as he tried to stretch. He made a slight whine until he cracked his back. He sighed in relief as he sat back.

“You really shouldn’t strain your muscles more” A voice spoke up. He looked to the door to see someone he really didn’t expect. The guy with the truck. Grif.

Simmons narrowed his eyes for a moment “Why are you here?” He asked. Grif scoffed and stepped inside the room. Taking a seat next to his bed and folded his arm.

“Sarge is feeling ill and wanted me to come check on you”  Grif  spoke softly while looking away from him. That didn’t really sound like Sarge, even when he was sick he refused to do nothing. “Can I apologize for how I was a week ago? I-“

“A week? I’ve been out for a week?” Simmons squeaked. His voice going higher and his face brighter. Grif laughed, howling in his seat. “What? Why are you laughing?”

“Your voice man! It get went  _ Whoooop _  Like super high! How do you even do that?”  Grif  continued to laugh. His laughter was deep and came from his abdomen, deep and strong. But also was ringing, like a caw of crow. But they melded together with his baritone voice. It sounded nice. Simmons had decided he liked the man’s laughter and laughed along with him.

“Yeah I guess it did! That’s really weird” He laughed with him, his sides began to hurt and their laughter died down to chuckles. Grif was smiling at him and he was grinning back. He ran a hand through his unruly hair and offered a hand to him.

“Like I said man, I was being such a dick. We really started off wrong. I’m Dexter Grif” Simmons took his hand.

“Dick Simmons” He took the hand. He leaned back once again.

They made idle chit chat that Simmons did enjoy. Simmons told him he did deliveries on his bike everywhere in town. Mainly he did deliveries for the bakery but he sometimes made package deliveries around the holiday times for the post office. In return,  Grif  told him about his own job. How he used to do a bunch of odd jobs before being employed by Sarge in his lumberyard. When Sarge decided his old bones needed to retire he put Grif, reluctantly, in charge but remained the head of the lumberyard. Grif argued that he never really retired because he still handles all the  paper work  and now he just deals with the heavy lifting and other employees for him.

The subject of his dad came up by accident and Simmons avoided eye contact.

“Look…what I said about your dad and you…. I’m sorry alright? I thought you guys were one in the same and I just really….really don’t like him” Grif sighed and sank into his chair. Wishing he could be swallowed by it “I guess I just…lumped you guys together”

“Can I ask why you hate my father?” Simmons fidgeted.

Grif groaned “Only if you buy me a pack of oreos”

Simmons squawked and narrowed his eyes

“I’m in the hospital you prick! How would I have any money?” His voice was slightly scratchy “If anything, you owe me! You were the one who was being a prick” He had a point. Grif grumbled and sat up.

“He shot a friend of mine” 

“Wha? But my dad is a good-“

“Shot? Yeah, but it was night time. My friend had gone out into the woods in the middle of the night. He needed this herb or something and he was mistaken for a  faunus  and-“

“My father doesn’t hunt the faunus”

“What?” Grif narrowed his eyes, they gleamed “You saying that-“

“He finds their human faces unnerving and refuses to hunt them. In fact, it’s against the law to hunt faunus in this town.” Simmons looked out the window. Grif sat back in the chair, brooding with a death glare “But he probably mistook him for easy gain. Was he on all fours? Close to the ground?” Simmons asked. Grif perked up and Simmons caught the glint again. The shining glint that reflected in his brandy  coloured  eyes.

“Yeah, he was…He still shot him. That much I do know, my friend may have lived but he still was shot by your father”

Simmons nodded, looking out at the town below. Grif growled and scratched his head.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to bring the conversation down! I’ve been deprived of sleep lately…and twinkies” That made the red head smirk.

“Sleep I can come up with reasons for, but Twinkies? What’s going there?” The conversation picked up after that.  Grif  explained that his sister was trying to get him to diet so she had been hiding all of his  favourite  snacks from him. She’d reward him for doing physical exercise that didn’t involve work with a twinkie. He rarely got twinkies now a days and he was trying to find a way to hide his snacks while simultaneously trying to find her hiding spots. It wasn’t going that well in his own opinion.

Simmons laughed while a nurse came in to check on him, changing his IV bag and applying ointment on his back and sides. She offered to bring him lunch but he denied it, claiming he wasn’t hungry. When the perky nurse left after telling him she was going to notify his father that he was awake Grif stood up.

“Good choice, hospital food sucks ass.”

“No…I’m just not hungry really. I don’t think I can eat without seeing that horrible thing” Simmons gazed at his hands “I guess my dad was right about the wolves. They really are mindless and violent” Simmons didn’t notice  Grif’s  face go slack in shock. He swallowed thickly, wanting to voice his own opinion on the wolven but held his tongue.

Simmons had been through a lot, and saying he was wrong would cause a conflict. Simmons didn’t need that in his life right now.

“You want me to get you something that won’t taste like crap?” Grif offered. Changing the subject and providing himself a way to get a breather in. Simmons blinked he noted the very light tinting shade of his cheeks.

But he picked up other things with his senses. He could hear his heart beat just a little faster and his blood flow increase. And he could hear his stomach growling! Or that could just be his own.

His vision slowed down again, focusing in on the way his jugular moved, in slow motion again, he watched it  bob  up and down as he cleared his throat. The slightly movement of his jaw and the way his lips parted as he was about to speak.

“I don’t have any money, I thought we went through this” His sling shot Grif back into reality again and it took a moment to register.

“We can work out a deal. I buy this round, you buy the next” He offered with a grin. His own heart beat picked up when Simmons smiled and nodded. They stayed like that, staring for a moment that seemed to last decades until someone cleared their throat.

He didn’t have to turn around to see who it was. He could smell the overwhelming scent of gunpowder and cologne. His jaw clenched and it took all of his nerves not to snarl at the man.

Richard Neveen Simmons was behind him.

He swallowed thickly as he slowly turned. He pictured the man to be a classic cartoon villain. Like the ones he watched on cartoons. Long curling mustache with long nose and possible wearing a  cape . To be a sinister evil man that wanted to take over the world and have everyone conform to his ways and wear stupid outfits with silly hats just to amuse him. He was not like that.

No, instead the man was of a broad build, wearing slacks and a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His red hair had been previously slicked back was slightly messed from some sort of activity. From a sniff he could tell he smelled of someplace dark and sweet. A wine cellar. With traces of sweat he could tell he had been moving things around. His green eyes were the same as Simmons but also different. The same shade but a different gleam. Simmons had, in his opinion, fairy song green eyes. They were bright and were curious, seeking out the wonder of the world and were warm like tall summer grass. His fathers were grounded green eyes. Eyes that had seen so much and experienced even more. Eyes that had met the mouth of bottle to drown something out.

The man was leaning against the door. Staring them both down and analyzing them and the atmosphere. He felt like he was trapped like a rat and the only way to escape was to dig but the floors were too hard for his claws.

He stepped towards his son and to check on him. Grif stood to the side, passively staring off out the window, fighting each and every instinct to run away or to fight him. He craved a cigarette, to put something toxic and addicting in his body. Something else that would make his blood rush and his jitters calm down. He was vaguely aware of the conversation between the two until his name came up.

“He offered to bring me something that wasn’t hospital food. He claims it tastes too bland” Simmons smiled at him. It didn’t bring the rush like it had before, his father being so close had set him on edge.

“Is that so? Well it won’t be necessary. He’s being discharged right away. I’ve signed all the papers and it’d be just a waste for you to go through all the trouble” Richard smiled politely. 

“It wouldn’t have been trouble for me at all”  Grif  offered a forced smile and nodded to Simmons “Get better ‘ kay ?” And he showed himself out. Simmons was left with his father for a moment until a nurse came in.

* * *

 

Simmons had been sitting on the back porch reading various books during his recovery. He had a lot of bruising and a few cracked bones. It was amazing he didn’t die, a miracle he hadn’t broken a single bone. He didn’t remember anything after his father shot the beast and he saw its chest rapidly coming towards him.

Apparently people had saw another wolf come out of the forest. Reinforcements to aid the leader in its hunt for its prey. People also witnessed that after the second wolf left, the big one got back up and headed into the forest. Bleeding but not dead. Church had been there and he took a photo. Sending him the picture when he had gotten out of the hospital.

Thick red spots on its side has tinged its white fur. Those were his father’s shots, all at the vital organs but it still didn’t take it down. Its throat was covered with the blood, running down its chest and had still been bleeding. Staining its white fur with its own cursed wrathful blood. A demon amongst the men.

The odd thing was the singe marks on it’s under belly. There had been no burning or any flame near the wolf. But yet….

Simmons shook his head and tried to concentrate on his book. It was a history of wolven. Like the others he had been reading, there was no mention how or when the  wolven  came to be. No magical experiment on wolves, no demons crawling out of the ground, not ghosts from angry wolves that had been killed. Plenty of tales that when a man was bitten by a wolf (and survived) He would undergo a painful change over the next full moon and stay in the cursed form. Memories of their previous lives burned away and would be instead filled with the disdain for humanity. But there was no confirmed source of it all. Plenty of theories, some more ridiculous than others.

Like how a child born under the new moon would turn into a wolf on the full moon of their eighteenth year on their life. Babies had been drowned for seven years because this was widely believed. Or how it was the Jews cursing the Catholics in their attempt to be the dominant religious practice. This of course hadn’t stood for very long and had fallen flat since there weren’t many  jewish  families around these parts. His all-time  favourite  though, was the theory that the wolven were men and  woman  who were gay. After laying with the same sex they would scream as their blood burned and bones broke in pain of their sin. It was god’s wrath with Satan’s magic upon man. By this logic Simmons joked _he_ was a wolven.

There were two things that had occurred in each book. Wolven sightings were rare out of forest of grim and the surrounding towns. The only recorded pack was in Germany in 1792 and hadn’t been spotted since, not even their bones had been found. It had been said they had traveled out to Russia’s mountains to be safe from man.

Canada was the only country that had fourteen sightings in the last 50 years. But no recorded killings. Maybe Canada just made you nicer.

The other was that silver would not kill a wolven and holy water would not banish the beast from your presence. It was a combination of the two that would mortally wound the Wolven.

“Hey Simmons” A voice derailed his train of thought and he turned to see Connie. She was making herself comfortable on the wooden railing. She had apparently laid a leaf down for some comfort of a sort and he gave her a half smile.

“You’ve made yourself home in the garden” He gestured out. The flowers had bloomed and doubled due to her magical presence. It was almost the same as when his mother took care of it. The other indication that fairies had been in his backyard was all the mushroom rings. Some in spirals, patterning the grass. He had been careful not to step on them and ruin the beautiful designs.

Connie shrugged. “It just happens, I do tend to the flowers though, and they are beautiful.” She smiled at out at the vast variety of petals. “Are doing any better?” 

That was the million dollar question.

Physically he had been recovering. His body was spotted with purple bruises and scraps.  His hands still had bandages on them and it hurt when he sneezed, but it was nothing. It was more the memories of what happened hadn't left him as he wished they would. He was haunted at night with those red eyes glaring him down, the odor of the beasts breath and his fangs. Instead of his father saving him, the wolf tore into his arm and ripped it off, blood spraying everywhere as claw dug into his stomach. Simmons had the same nightmare for a few days now, he wished he could just sleep dreamless for once. At this point he had taken to not sleeping, going to bed at late as possible, playing video games or working on his online college degree, anything to occupy him.

But as soon as he closed those eyes he could practically smell the foul decay of death that bellowed as the beasts breath. The low rumbling growl of an angry thunderstorm all around him. Drowning out his own cries for help. The glow of Red Eyes was burned behind his eyelids and the last thing he would always see was a flash of yellow sharp fangs.

He blinked and was brought back to reality. Connie was on his shoulder snapping at him, trying to get him to pay attention to her and snap him out of his daydreaming. A shiver ran up his spine and he tensed for a moment before relaxing again. He turned an offered his hand to Connie  so  she could step down. She huffed and flew back to her spot on the railing.

"You just randomly started staring off into space" She gave him a look. "Are you sure you're okay?" Simmons nodded.

He didn't really feel like talking about it right now. It would just drag more unnecessary drama his way and he didn't feel like dealing with that right now. Simmons sighed and looked out to the forestry in his backyard. The shrubs, and tall grass and trees. The various creatures stirring within, close enough to the edge o make out their silhouettes but far enough to not be able to name them. Simmons  sighed  and he heard rustling from the trees closest to him. His eyes widened and he saw a tall and dark wolf. Eye blazing with flakes of gold and orange. It's steps were cautious when Simmons saw him. He froze for a moment until his body reacted. He scrambled across the deck and grabbed the hunting rifle. Checking if it was loaded before whipping around and aiming it at the wolf. They stood there, frozen, eyes locked with fear on both ends. His finger trembled as the wolf moved around the deck, trying to get closer to him.

"Get  away  from me!" Simmons shouted and the wolf took off. He squeezed his eyes shut and fired the gun. Yelping as he did so. There was fumbling in the bushes for a moment before he heard something he didn't expect.

"You son of a bitch! You tried to _shoot_ me!"  Grif's  voice howled. "I'm just trying to see if you are okay and you fucking try to kill me? _You are such a dick!_ Just like your name!" Simmons dropped the gun and stared at him. Green eyes wide and his jaw was slack. How  did  Grif  get there? Wasn't there a wolf-Holy shit. Simmons ran towards him, gun still in hand but not aiming at him anymore.

"What are you?!" Simmons shouted, his voice rising to a higher pitch than normal.

"what the fuck do you think I am? I am a _wolven_ you fucking trigger happy asshole" Grif swore. Simmons narrowed his eyes, actually he squinted. Grif didn't look like someone that could turn into a huge  blood thirsty  beast. The burning eyes he had definitely made him stand out if you noticed them first. Another note. Grif was naked. He was still standing in shrubbery but he had  no  shirt on and he was pretty sure he didn't have pants on either. His cheeks dusted themselves a light pink at the thought.

"I can't believe I'm ** _stuck_ ** with you of all people"  Grif  growled. Simmons crossed his arms.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The taller man scowled.

"It means I'm stuck to you because you are my chosen _mate_ you dickhead. You may not be stuck with me, but I am stuck with you"  Grif  turned barked. C.T fluttered in between them, slightly nervous from all the tension. Her head  flitted  to each side, wondering how to calm down both of them.

"Guys I really think you should just take a step back from each other or something" She voiced her reason. Simmons turned his back away.

" What ever ! I don't wanna see him again. Wolven are just vicious, blood thirsty creatures anyway. My dad was right all along" He stormed into the house. Grif stood there, staring at the spot he had been previously standing. His eyes hardened and he turned around, a pang in his chest as he did so. He fazed through, muscles expanding and bones bending before he ran off. Leaving the very confused C.T in the middle standing on a leaf.

* * *

Grif sighed and gripped the heavy metal chain that was wrapped around a large tree. He hauled it over his shoulder and hauled it over shoulder and pulled it along. Thinking of other things he could be doing right now. Like napping in a nice warm shady spot. Or eating a nice greasy triple  cheese burger . But instead he was at work, hauling around trees to get loaded up on a truck to go to the saw mill. He grumbled and continued on. He wanted to continue and not think about it again. To be dragged back into the cycle that had lasted two weeks. He felt like he was starved or something, no matter what he ate nothing could fill up the hole. 

"Hey Grif!" He heard a feminine voice call out to him. He turned around to see head of blonde hair in a pony tail make it's way through the crowd of sweaty men lifting and dragging logs around. He immediately recognized her as Tex, his tattoo artist. Also the most scariest woman alive if he could actually say that. But it was odd that she would be out here, she had no business here did she?

"Hey Tex...So what are you doing here?" He asked cautiously. Careful with his word choice the woman used to be in the special ops. She raised a blonde brow like he should already know why she was there looking for him. But no reason could he actually pair with her being there. Did he miss a touch up appointment or something? Her gun steel eyes were watching his movements carefully, like he would pounce at any given moment.

"No real reason....but I heard you poking your head into the town of Grim" She crossed her arms. She was angry. Fuck!

"I...don't actually see how that's any of your business Tex" He narrowed his eyes. Shifting the heavy chains on his shoulder and dragging the fallen tree behind him to the branch trimmers. He didn't like the way Tex was sizing him up. Like he was an opponent or something. But he tried not to let her get to him and continued on, picking up the tree and tossing it in. When he turned around she was right in his face. Her  grey  eyes were sharp and she snarled, making the yard go quiet. Tex was an Alpha's alpha, you never wanted to make her angry and she seemed pretty pissed at him.

"It's my business because that's where my fucking mate _lives_. A fallen was sighted there and almost killed one of my mates friends. It was a big sighting and your scent just so happens to be mixed in with it....In fact you still smell like fallen" Tex rolled her shoulders. Grif paused, this was going in a very bad direction because now everyone was looking at him with mixed expressions. Where was Kai when you needed her?

"Okay Tex...I need you to calm down and-"

"You reek of fallen! What the hell did you do  Grif ?" She shouted. 

"I didn't do fucking anything you **_mangy bitch!_** " He shouted back. His common sense kicking in too late. Her  fist  flew into his face and got knocked back. Before he could even tell her to stop she kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying. Everyone quickly scattered, abandoning their work for safety. Grif hit the ground with a grunt and a piece of stray wood had pierced his skin and wedged itself into his shoulder.

"You know I always thought it was strange for an alpha of your age not to have a mate. What did you do them  Grif ? _Eat them?_ " His mind immediately flashed to Simmons. Eat the  red head ? No way! Well... he'd like to eat him in another way but that wasn't really an option now. He swore he could smell him at that moment. That subtle scent of fallen leaves and copper. 

_"I wouldn't-"_ He boot connected with his nose and his head snapped back. Whipping back into the ground and making his brain rattle. She pressed her boot into his cheek, glaring down at him.

" Grif  I am tasked with eliminating any fallen threat to the Grim forest. And since you smell of Fallen I will put you the fuck down" It was true. Tex and Wash had been tasked with destroying any fallen before they became too strong. But  Grif  knew he wasn't a fallen...but he could become one...or maybe he already was. Rejection from a mate was one of the reasons wolven became fallen. If he didn't want to cause  anymore  harm than what had already happened he would submit to Tex and let himself be put down. His nose was bleeding and he could taste blood in his mouth. She pressed her boot harder against him.

_** Fuck it ** _

Grif  quickly moved his face away from her foot, making her miscalculate and before she could correct herself, he sunk his fangs into her ankle. She shrieked in pain as his fang grew and he began to turn. She kicked him off. Her leg was bleeding heavily and she couldn't put pressure on it. She cursed and pulled out a gun as a large wolf rose. Scraps of fabric falling off it's shoulder. Tex paused. He didn't look like a typical turning fallen. In fact he looked completely normal- _no_...His muzzle had began to  grey . But it could also be from his age. It would have to be a judgment call on her end. Tex took a deep breath and cocked the pistol.

_ "No!" _  Someone shrieked from behind her. Tex whipped around, her gun loaded and aimed at who ever interrupted. A head of soaking red hair made her pause. His frantic green eyes stared at the gun before  Grif  but settled on her.

"Simmons? What the hell-" She was tackled down to the ground. A heavy paw pinning her left arm. The large black and red spotted wolf above her growled, a furious temperament over took the normally calm wolf. Before she even thought about it she pulled the trigger. A loud bang slicing through everything. A whine followed and  Grif  moved away from her. Crashing into the ground beside her. His eyes shimmered like the sun as he looked up at Simmons who stared fearfully down at him. Tex scrambled to her feet, looking between the two, she missed his heart and instead hit his stomach. He wasn't changing back which had to mean he was becoming a fallen. She aimed her gun again, this time at his head before he found the strength to get back up. C.T flew in front of the female alpha, trying to draw her attention away from him as he bled.

"Tex stop Simmons is-"

_** "STOP" ** _  Simmons shouted and thrusted his hand out in front of him. A blast of a purple light shout forth and knocked her back.  Simmons got knocked back and landed on his butt. Staring incredulously at where he had just been standing. His glasses askew and still completely soaked to the bone. Tex sat up slowly, her weapon  no where  to be found. She rubbed her head and winced. Then she got a look at Simmons, she noticed a new marking on his hand. A _witch_ symbol.

_ "What the  fucking _ _hell?"_ She mumbled. Grif yipped in agreement. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of this story is to be dedicated to my old friend Heather who currently hates my fucking guts. Well unfortunately I don't hate yours and you and me both made this story come to life.  
> My sincerest apologies   
> To everyone else,   
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was totally all over the place I know but I think I did pretty well in the end....maybe....Grif's still dying but heeeeeeeey.  
> Sarge's dream come true amiright????


	4. Inappropriate Singing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow So like....that was longer than I expected to take on writing a new chapter. Its been hard since my muse walked out of my life but I am not deterred! Enjoy this 9000 words chapter folks!!!

 

It happened every night after he told  Grif  to leave him alone.

Feeling the pull of the forest he would slip half way out of slumber and walk to the edge and stand there, under  moon light , staring deep into the woods. When he came to always varied, sometimes he would stand there for five minutes, sometimes for three hours. It was never the same. But by the way his skin wasn't completely covered in goosebumps he would guess he had only been out here for twenty minutes. He sighed heavily and squinted.

Why was he always in the same damn spot? The spot where he held a gun to  Grif  in that monstrous form of his. That demon from hell's true form as one of the passages from the religious view of the wolven. He never really believed in the whole "God" idea. He liked science more. Science made sense to him. Science explained every weird thing...except the creatures of the grim wood forest. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned around.

"Hey Simmons, why are you up at this hour?" He heard a familiar tiny voice. He was surprised to see Connie at all. Ever since his fight with  Grif  she had kept her distance, he figured he scared her off too. She was staring up at him expectantly. 

"I uh....I don't really know actually...This is like...the 12th time I've do ne this in a row. It started a few days after...well you know" He lowered his voice, speaking in a much more hushed tone.

Connie nodded, closing her eyes and taking in the light of the moon. 

"I could supply a few explanations but you wouldn't like them" She yawned. She seemed pretty tired now that Simmons was actually looking at the small creature. Bags under her eyes and her shoulders were slumped forward. When she opened her eyes they looked red and glazed. He really couldn't be any better though. Flowers was constantly commenting if was even sleeping or eating. Claiming he looked down right skeletal at points. He knew it was an exaggeration but possibly not far off. Church even said he looked like a zombie recently. What was worse was that he couldn't get  Grif  out of his head. He kept thinking about so many questions he wanted to ask and things he wanted to shout and maybe even something to whisper. But he banished him from coming back here and after how he acted. He highly doubted he would ever come back....not that he would want him too _right?_

Simmons couldn't even make up his mind about  Grif . He wanted to hate him, to classify him as a vicious beast. But he knew he wasn't, he was lazy and highly sarcastic. But he could also dig at the sensitive topics. He didn't know what to do. He wished he could just hate him and be done with it.

Simmons sat down on the grass, staring into the woods.  "Tell me"

"What?"

"Tell me why I keep coming out here! Tell me why I can't get that stupid fat ass out of my head and I can't sleep now!" He buried his face into his knees. His fingers tangled  in his hair and tugging on it. He wanted to scream and cry right now.

C.T bit her lip. "Simmons-"

"Why? Why do I keep doing this? It's not even.....I'm human right? So why do I feel like this?" He choked on a sob. C.T please her small hands on his shoe before breathing out a very heavy sigh. She removed her hands and laced her hands together. She raised her folded hands to her lips and whispered something quietly. 

She grew.

In a warm green light, the small fairy grew into the form of a human. She wasn't her normal inhuman white skin. Instead, it was a normal slightly tanned tone. Brown eyes looking deeply into his as she placed human looking hands on him. She smiled at him sadly as he looked at her shocked. Tears still falling down his cheeks. "How did you-"

"All creatures have a little magic to hide in plain sight from humans who wish to harm us. But....When I'm so small I fear my words are small too" She pulled him into a tight embrace. "Simmons you have such a burden I'm so sorry. Nothing will be resolved" 

Simmons fought against her. Breaking free when she let him go and he scrambled to his feet. His breathing was out of control as his eyes were wide and his brain was still processing everything he saw. Every word that she had spoken. It just didn't fit right in his head. She had been the height of a pen and now she was five foot something. She talked like it was no big deal...well maybe it wasn't. He was just so upset right now. Upset at that white wolf, upset at Grif, angry at himself. A part of him was seething ball of self loathing for what he had done. Touching one of those things....a gun. Pointing it at  Grif . It felt so wrong, it did nothing to make him feel safe at all. It made him feel more panicked and he couldn't shake the after shocks even now.

    "What _is_   Grif ?" He blurted out. 

His hands flew to his mouth. He didn't mean to say anything. His legs felt weak again and he sat back down on the grass with C.T. Hi his eyes avoiding hers and kept to his sock. He didn't expect to answer let alone know.

    "He is a Wolven. An alpha wolf...with no mate" She added the last part quietly but it felt like a shot at him. He felt it. The words slap him across the face and reminding him of his actions.

    "How do  wolven ...." He  coudn't  finish. He didn't even know what he was saying.

    "They are born human...most of them. Wolven are very rarely born because it is most wolven couples are same sex. Ergo, impossible to reproduce. So most  Wolven  are born human and turned by another Wolven. Not just here in the forest of Grimm. But around the world Grif...Grif isn't actually from here" Simmons rubbed his eyes. He wanted to ask where he was from. To  pry  and be nosy about this man who claimed to be his mate. He craved the knowledge that he didn't want. To know all about him even though he told him to stay away from him forever.

    "You'll have to ask him yourself" She shrugged.

    "That won't happen. I told him to never talk to me or be around me again" He rubbed his arms. It was still cold for him. He wanted to run away and hide again. To pretend that nothing else but him existed and just ignored every feeling and thought in his head.

    "That can't happen!" C.T sounded a little more than frantic. Simmons looked up at her slightly shocked by her tone. She tightened her fists "You remember that thing. That disgusting form of hatred and malice? What nearly killed you?  Grif  will turn into that!  Grif  will have to bear the fact his mate rejected him each day. He doesn't get a choice in this, there is no number two for him. You, yes, him? No! He will one day let it get to him and he will turn again and never be able to turn back" Her voice rose with  every  word. Her eyes were pleading to him. Begging him to reconsider. No one should have to become a fallen.

Being fallen meant you turned away from good, to be willed away from family and friends and all the important things you held dearly in your life. You fall into disarray, broken and unable to be repaired no matter how hard you try. Your thoughts slowly grow darker and darker until your mind is consumed by madness and your very soul is torn apart by rage and grief.

Simmons tightened his fists. He could imagine  Grif  right now as his large beast self. Laying lazily in the shade as he enjoyed the summer heat. Warbling happily as he got to relax. Peaceful and happy.

Imagining him right now as a  blood thirsty  beast. His fangs digging into flesh, ripping through it like butter. His once warm golden orange eyes turned to a spiteful and enraged red. He trembled.

    "I don't.....I don't want him to be like that" He said in a soft whisper. 

C.T looked at him curiously. He seemed sincere enough with his words. She took his hand and both of hers. His long fingers were stiff but he didn't seem like he was going to pull away from her. "I understand by mortal society it may seem crazy for people just to believe in a feeling they get with someone is a feeling to stay with them forever. But that feeling is beyond words. I can't describe it but....it's very important" C.T gently let go of his hands and looked down to her lap.

Simmons was silent for a long time. Contemplating what he should do until he finally made up his mind about what to do about the whole situation. A lot of things could go wrong if he wasn't careful about this. The wrong person could find out about this. And then he would e cast aside by everyone. His family and friends, the fellow  towns folk . He would have no one to go back to. But on the other hand. He felt like he knew the feeling the fairy had been talking about. An overwhelming sense of trust in one person. To feel completely safe because you know they have your back and that you have theirs. It was a warm and pleasant feeling that he missed. 

"I....I want to see him again" His throat felt tight admitting his secret.  His heart felt heavy and ached. He just wanted to see the fat  lumber jack  again. Talk about stupid stuff in the hospital again. To see those eyes again and watch every expression that crossed through them. He wanted to  be the one to see them and make them come across his face. To repair all of the broken thoughts he was having about the man. He hated himself for viewing him in such a negative light and Simmons couldn't understand. But he was so tired of being at war with himself and beating himself instead of finding him and talking to him. "I want to see  Grif  again" He said a little more surely.

......

Running through the woods during the night was ** _terrifying_** **__ **

C.T's small light to guide him through the thick trees and prickly bushes. On the occasion he would trip over a root or even his own feet.  He felt like that if he stopped, he would get swallowed by the shadows in the forest. He gulps down his fear of being gobbled up and keeps going. Running and panting to keep up with the fairy. He felt like his lungs would explode at one moment, barely a breath going into his lungs to keep him running. Simmons just kept his eyes on the warm cinnamon  colour  of C.T's magic trailing behind her as  she  effortlessly weaved through the trees. She didn't get scratched by stray branches or fall down and get leaves in her hair. She was confident in herself and how she moved in an effortless grace. 

The dark leaves kept swallowing the light after him, the moon not reaching them, not wrapping him in Silver light so that he could feel safe. He tripped again, his face hitting the dirt and he skinned his chin. The burning sensation of pain ebbed away at him. His face was covered in dirt and his palms and his knees were skinned. He could barely find it in himself to be able to stand. His legs were so shaky and his knees buckled. He had to lean against a tree and breath for a few moments. Just air in his lungs before he started up again. Surely C.T would wait just a few moment to let him rest and get some air in his lungs. He looked up to find that she was gone. And so was her magical light to guide him. He gulped nervously and tried to calm his erratic heart beat so he could hear himself think. He inhaled slowly and exhaled slowly, trying to focus on his breathing.

"C-C.T?" Simmons voice was shaky as he called out to the  inky darkness.

 He was met with eerie silence. He  with held  a whimper and tried to move his feet, they felt like lead with the tightening knot in his stomach. He had to keep his head and not lose control of himself and have an attack. He would get hopelessly lost before he would calm himself down and then that would just trigger another one. He had to gulp down his fear and  make his feet move for him. One in front of the other until he was walking in the direction that C.T had gone. His heart was still pounding and beating quickly. He wanted to feel safe but that wasn't going to happen. 

A growl rumbled through the darkness and he looked around to see what he thought was the moon at first. But he gasped at his mistake when the beast turned around to reveal its bear face. It growled at him and slowly crept closer to him. It's eyes zeroed in on him like it was hungry.

_"Grif.."_ He whimpered. If this was a movie, a large wolf would come barreling through and tackle the best in an epic display of violence. But this wasn't a movie and  Grif  wouldn't be coming because he told him to stay away from him. How could he be so freaking stupid to say that. He was about to get by the moon bear...which...weren't aggressive creatures-

Simmons looked at the bear to see it just observing him. Waiting for him to make a move towards him. He blinked rapidly, green eyes catching the animals attention. It loomed closer, curious eyes stuck on his, staring at him in wonder. Instead of attacking him like Simmons originally thought it would before, it sniffed him. 

He felt the first time he met  Grif . The real first time, when he landed on him and instead of eating him, he just sniffed him. Inhaling his scent and learning where he was and what he had been doing. He wanted to go back to that point and stay there with him, to maybe just nap with him. He felt his cheeks flush as he cautiously held a hand up to the bear, his fingers grazing its fur before he, very gently, stroked the bears head. Its dark blue fur felt soft like the belly of cat. He got bolder with his petting. Looking it in the eyes as he stroked its head, watching its face be content with the gentle stroking. It warbled in response, settling itself down in front of Simmons to see the unfamiliar human.

"That's a good girl" He cooed but the bear warbled again. "Boy?" He asked softly. The bear leaned into the touch and nuzzled his hand. Simmons couldn't help the smile that spread softly on his lips. He understood why his mother loved these animals the most. They were peaceful giants that didn't want to do anyone harm. He wondered how they could ever become fallen.

"My mother loved Moon bears, she used to tell me lots of stories about them all the time when I was a kid" It was sort of strange. He couldn't remember his why he had his fear of the forest after the incident. These creatures were harmless and only tried to protect themselves. It was because of the negativity that Humans have brought to this world that they started becoming fallen.

    "I did a terrible thing to a wolf and now I need to find him" He signed and looked down at his t oes in defeat. The bear nudged him, knocking him out any sort of train of thought before it started. It warbled at him with kind and kept nudging him backwards, forcing him to walk backwards.

    "Whoa- **hey**!" Simmons sputtered until he realized the bear was trying to lead him somewhere. He  side stepped  and let the bear pass him to act as a proper guide. Walking behind it with his arms folded into himself to make himself smaller, more hide-able. 

* * *

 

Tex shook her head.

    _"No way"_ She sighed.There was no way that what Carolina was saying was true. And even if it was there was no way she could pull off the duty she was being assigned, at least not without proof. "Get Wash to do it, I actually _know_ him and talk to him" The blonde sat there, her head in her hands seething with annoyance. She looked like she could punch through the wall just to let off steam. She wanted to. But this was her shop, she poured her soul into the walls of this place and she would be damned if she started punching holes in it. 

Carolina as still standing in front of her with her arms crossed and less than pleased that Tex was blatantly refusing her duties.

    "Nobody likes hunting the half turned but it's for the best. In death they appreciate going with their mind and soul rather than not having any" She said briskly before placing the assignment sheet on the counter. Turning on her heel to leave through the door, casually flipping the sign back to open. The door opened with a squeak but Carolina paused. "Try and think of them rather than yourself" 

    "Oh yeah, would you wanna do it if it were South or Wyoming?" Tex bit  back at her. Carolina let out a snarl, breaking her mask of calm. But she didn't try break into a meaningless fight with Tex. She instead just left.

When the door closed Tex let out a long exhale before she leaned back in the seat. Trying to organize her thoughts before she glanced at the sheet of white paper on her counter top. Face down to be discrete like Carolina always was. With a sigh she leaned forward and slid it off the smooth counter top. Turning it in her fingers to read the assignment. The picture in the target box was one of her customers. _Dexter Grif._

There was no way that this  goof ball  could turn into a fallen. Or at least be in the process to be one. She would have to gather some Intel to see if his personality had rapidly changed and if there were any key stress points that could trigger the change. She could always call him for a touch up appointment, but she had already done one three weeks ago.   

She picked up the phone and dialed Sarge's number, remembering the number easily as she punched it in. She sat for a minute and waited for it  to connect and then the old man to pick up. It didn't take as long as she thought it would have as Sarge answered with a gruff voice.

    "Hello?"

    "It's Tex" She replied smoothly, he heard him relax on the other end before she opened her mouth again "Look, this isn't a luxury call I need information on one of your employees in the lumberyard. Mental state, physical changes to his appearance and such"

    "I'm _'officially'_ retired remember? If you want information on an employee you would have to ask  Grif " He shifted on the other end of the line.

    "That's the thing Sarge.....It's Grif who I'm asking about" She was met with silence on his end. A faint curse could be heard when she strained her ears. She took his silence as her cue to continue talking. She looked at the sheet. "Dexter Grif has been placed on the list due to a change in his personality and physical human appearance. Lupin appearance form not confirmed. There have been over five calls about his mood swings apparently. Are you sure you haven't noticed any changes in him?" She kept her air of professionalism with the older man.

    "I haven't talked to him personally in a week in a half. The last time I saw him he looked a little run down but I would think it was just him being a lazy bastard. Are you sure that he is...you know?" He asked cautiously.

"That's what I'm doing Sarge, collecting as much data as I can to make a proper assessment before any action is taken" Sarge went onto explain how Grif acted and talk and looked the last time he had physical contact with him. How the next day he just faxed in reports at the end of the night. She wrote down every detail that he listed off in a note book before giving him a polite  good bye  on the phone before hanging up. She labeled the section on notes under Sarge before she dialed a new number.

Waiting for each ring in every phone call was another weight added onto her shoulders that could not be shrugged off by trying to ignore the fact she was charged with killing a friend. Hopefully she wouldn't have to but her current findings were not favoring  Grif  at the moment. The calls would always range to people who were close to him to the mail man who would see him maybe once a week. Sniffing for anything that could indicate that  Grif  would be innocent.

The final call was the hardest in her own opinion.

  _"Hello?"_ The cheery tone of Kaikaina Grif answered. Unsuspecting of what was to come from her.

    "I...It's Tex" She struggled. The woman of steel could feel her own throat tighten. She had known these two for such a long time. She had known Kai for such a long time. Happy memories along with confusing ones, but she was never one to stay stuck on them.

But she did remember one.

When they were all young.

And new to Hail Mary pass...

* * *

_ Allison heard of new arrivals. Two siblings that had long since been turned but had been smuggled by their mother in a circus for years. It was unclear how long but she was sure of one thing. The eldest was the alpha. Bitten into by a stray cursed wolf to pass on the magic of the curse onto another. And the youngest was a beta. Only meeting the  wolf's  claw marks instead of its jaws. Luck must've  favoured  them that day since they weren't ripped to shreds by teeth and claws of what could only assume to be a fallen. Details on how they escaped and ended up refugees were muddled with different versions of the story. Nothing was clear, you couldn't see the reasonings at all. And curiosity gnawed with sharp fangs in her gut like her own bite marks.  _

_ She wanted to meet them. To know the real story about them and judge them with a clear opinion without anyone  else's  input on it. Even if she was still fairly young, she was 11 and she knew the way the world worked. Cruel and unfair unless you are at the top of pyramid and fought to stay there. It was vicious and childhood was being sheltered by adults so you wouldn't see how shitty the world was until it was too late to back out. To fill you with hope that you could make a change, a difference in the world and send you off with their own naive hope that you actually will. Even though they know full well that you won't and they put a lot of effort into something that was ultimately a waste in the world.  _

_ Why bother trying to make a positive difference when everything was going south in the first place. If she wanted to be on top she had to do what ever she could to survive, positive or not. To punch the rules in the face and run for it while they kneeled in pain. She would survive even if it ended with her covered in blood once more. _

_ But it seemed as though the two new arrivals weren't particularly okay with ordinary people and as soon as they were off the boat, they shifted and ran into the woods. Perhaps they weren't as associated with man kind as they thought they were. One of the bakers had took it upon themselves to leave out bread and water and fruit for them. At first they had waited by it but it became clear they would only go near it, let alone EAT it, if no one was around. Their random sightings were the talk of the town for a while, especially since both siblings seemed to stay in wolven form. She couldn't imagine the stress and ache they must feel all over their body. She never even learned their names since no one actually knew them. But Allison was determined to find them, to learn about them. All she knew was that they weren't originally from where they were found. Prussia wasn't known for its dark skinned children and happy circuses at least to her own knowledge. _

_ Allison had packed a bag full of food and blankets and set out into the woods. Normally she would have shifted forms when going into the woods. They were rumored to have dangerous creatures inside of it. She felt safer with claws and fangs than just her fingers and dull teeth. But she also didn't know how the two siblings would react to seeing another wolf, and as much as she was confident in her sparing abilities, she didn't want a fight this time. Her mother did say that an 11 year old girl shouldn't fight as much as she did. But what did she know about it? She was completely human. _

_ The twigs and leaves crunching beneath her boots echoes through the eerie trees. Her feet disturbing the silence of the forest as she walked along its forest floor. There was no other creature in sight, or least that she could see. Thick fog weaved in and out of tall trees that covered the sky. It was dark but it was only 3 in the afternoon, she knew that, but no sun light  poked through  the trees. The luminescent mushrooms and  glowing moss were enough to light her way through the forest. Allison kept going on ahead, following dual paw prints that were a few days old. She stayed to the side to keep from muddling the scent. Her human nose wasn't as sharp was her other half. She could still track it but she could only focus on one scent at a time. Thankful these two never seemed to  separate  she only had to track the strongest one. _

_ Allison wanted to learn about them, to show them that, even though this place was different, it wasn't as bad as some places could be. She knew more than a lot of people that other being alone here didn't get you anywhere, it was better just to accept what was going on. To take advice from the adults and learn what you need to about the curse that was placed on you. The curse is passed regardless of the age so a lot of people are in the same boat and can help each other out. Regardless of how she herself perceived the world. Hail Mary pass was a helpful community of more than just people living with the  wolven  curse. Different sub-species and humans lived in harmony there. For the most part. She had seen some people got into fights that always ended with someone getting hurt or law enforcement would need to step in. But it was still an easy place to live in. Anyone could see that at first glance. So she wondered why the two siblings had run as soon as they had touched land. _

_ The hair on the back of her neck stood up  abruptly  and she whipped around quickly. A small archer snake  had snuck up behind her. Looming over her at 6 feet with cautious eyes as it watched every muscle in her body move. She was frozen, eyes locked with the snakes. A black forked tongue flickering at her. It moved forward cautiously, watching her every movement. _

_ She tightened her small fists and snarled at it with elongated fangs.  Taking an aggressive foot forward to ark where she stood. The large snake hissed at her, rattling its tail as a warning to not  approach  it. Its long body slithering around to a more offensive position. Allison was about to pounce, to shift and sink her fangs into the monster before her. _

_ A gentle hand rested on her shoulder. _

_ Allison whipped around with a snarl, expecting a second attack. _

_ But instead. She was a woman with chocolate brown hair and silver  coloured  eyes. She stood there, a confident posture in blue robes and a  grey  cloak. She had a calm and sincere smile on her lips as she looked down at the young wolven. The twinkled with mirth as she adjusted the hat on top of her head. _

_ "Ah-Ahhh" She wagged her finger at the young girl "What do you think you are doing?" She said in a sing song voice. Allison paused, she was thrown off by the  womas  polite and positive demeanor. Three slow blinks and the young wolven replied. _

_ "There's a giant vicious snake! What do think I was doing? I was defending myself!" She cursed at the woman in blue. Her eyes never left hers. _

_ "Vicious snake? Defending yourself? Oh ho  ho  you are very mistaken young girl. Snakes aren't vicious! They are just cautious. You came into its home uninvited so of course it wants to know what you are. As for defending yourself....Well I don't think you need to" She pointed back towards the snake. It was curled up into a ball, its head resting on top of its body as it watched them. A forked tongue sticking out at them. It didn't look as evil as it did before, in fact, it seemed more...docile. _

_ "Who are you" Allison stepped away from the cloaked woman "More importantly...what are you?" She narrowed her eyes. The woman smelled odd. Something she hadn't smelled before. Her smile was so strange to Allison. She couldn't imagine a woman like her, walking around in these woods with a smile on her face like everything was sunshine and rainbows. So she stood on guard until she knew more. _

_ "Well, I am one of the  Grey  sisters! I am the one in blue, my sister is the one purple." She exclaimed happily.  Allisons  stomach dropped. _

_ The  Grey  sister were notorious for being wicked woman who casted curses and hexes on people who they didn't like. Brewed potions to make evil plants and creatures and were  descendants  of the original witch who cast the wolven curse. They weren't a part of any town and they lived with each other in the forest, away from civilization. The woman before could turn her to stone before she even had the chance to turn tail and run away. She was doomed. _

_ "Why does everyone get that face when I say that" The woman sighed. Allison looked  back up  at her. She was frowning with her head in her hand. "Look I won't hurt you" She held up her hands and took a step back for the young  Wolvens  comfort. "Can I help you find your way back to town?" She offered. Allison shook her head. Not being able to find her voice yet. She stared at the ground for a very long time until she looked back at the snake. It was still curled up in a ball, looking content with its current position. _

_ "How did you get the snake to do that?" She asked quietly. The woman smiled. _

_ "I didn't. It did that once it saw there was no threat. Now do you need help with something?" She asked once again. Her voice was soft and soothing, like a lullaby for a baby. _

_ "I'm looking for two wolven kids. They got off the boat a couple of weeks ago and ran straight into the forest. I wanted to bring them back to town" Allison found her voice was very small towards the woman. She hated it but she still found herself scared of the witch in front of her. _

_ The witches face exploded with joy. Her hands clasped together and her steel eyes shimmered with excitement. The tail end of her hat bobbed along as she bounced on the balls of her heels. She giggled and held out her hand to the young blonde child. The other gathering her skirt so she would be able to walk quicker. _

_ "You must mean Dexter and Kai! We found them wandering in the forest in their animal form. They were so hungry me and my sister took them in and fed them. They have quite the stories you know. Oh I can't wait until they are a part of the family" She gushed. Allison tilted her head slightly, confused by her last statement until she found her arm was getting pulled and she was being dragged along by the  excit able  witch. She couldn't really tell her to stop so she went along with it until her gut told her to run. _

_ Allison had been brought to the small cabin in the woods and was introduced properly to Dexter and Kaikaina Grif. Two siblings from a small cluster of islands down south until they were turned and then hidden in a circus with their mom for their protection. When they had been found out, they were ripped from their mothers arms and taken here by force as the wolven act stated. They  apparently  didn't trust the village and ran into the forest, hoping they could find their way back to their mother. Once they were convinced the town was safe to be in, they agreed to go back with Allison, getting an escort back by the witch in blue. When Allison turned around to thank her...she was gone. _

_ It was the first time she met  Grif  and Kai. And the only time she met the witch in blue  _

* * *

"Kai I need you to calm down and listen to me-"

"No! You're saying that  Grif  is turning into a fallen? That's fucking bullshit up the horses ass!" She cursed at the blonde over the phone. "He doesn't even smell like one! You guys are wrong" Tex was sure she was going to hang up, but surprisingly she didn't. That meant there was something.

"Look Kai, normally when I get a case I just go after the guy and make the call then. But  Grif  is my _friend_ , you are my friend. So I am calling everywhere I can so that I can clear this charge against him. If I don't do this someone else will just pick up the case and put him down okay? Now I need your help to save your brother" She kept she voice calm. Which was amazing considering the fact she wanted to punch  who ever  put this charge against  Grif  together.

There was silence for a very long  time  on the other end. Kai was obviously composing herself because she could here the sniffles on the other end of the line.

"He finally met his mate recently..." Kai started but she stopped to take a deep breath. "I only learned about it because apparently his mate was in danger and he had to go see if they were okay...you know how it is with that stuff" She sniffled again "Well when he came back...he reeked of blood and fallen but he looked clean. I just assumed he fought something off and washed up before coming home. But on his third visit he came back really angry and stuff...and...and I think he smelled like fresh fallen but I can't really tell! I've never been near a fallen but I was always told they smell bad so it might have just been  Grif  refusing to shower again" Tex inwardly gagged when Grif had gone on strike and refused to shower. Anyone with a sensitive nose had to flee from him until humans tackled him and forcefully bathed him.

"Did he ever tell you his mates name?" Tex continued her line of questioning.

" No..No  he didn't. He kept quiet about the entire thing. All I know is that he visited the  huntsman  town of Grim. But when he saw them the last time he told me not to bother about them and that he took care of it. I didn't....I didn't really understand what he meant...I still don't" Kai became quiet again. Tex felt numb as she put down her pen.

"Thank you Kai,  thats  all I promise" She bid her goodbyes on the phone and hung up. Leaning back in her seat she dug the heels of her hands into her eyes. _"God fucking dammit Grif"_ She stood up and grabbed her keys.

* * *

_"God dammit Grif!"_ Simmons shivered violently. He was so cold in sopping wet Pajamas.

The moon bear was nice enough to give him a ride while it was night. But when it reach morning and the sun dawned, the bear vanished while it ran. Sending Simmons flying into a lake filled with mermaids who didn't know personal space.They kept grabbing at him and begging him to stay. Telling him that they hadn't had company in very long time and they would be okay if he just stayed at the shore. He had to make a promise to come back again with books they could read and bring friends so that they could talk to people again. He felt bad for leaving them, especially with how sad all of their expressions were. But he had more important things to do. He needed to find  Grif  and apologize and maybe go out for coffee-

He shook his head again. He really was having a problem with reigning those thoughts in and keeping them buried.

Simmons walked along the forest floor on bare foot. He kept heading forward until he reached a road and began to follow that instead. Every few moments he would hiss from stepping on a sharp rock . The sun was out and beating hard on his back, he was sure that his neck would be burnt by the end of all this. Maybe if he played his cards right he could get  Grif  to give him a ride back home. Or follow roads back to Sarge's and get a ride there. Either way he was exhausted to the bone and still cold and wet. And where the hell did C.T go? Did she just not notice that he wasn't there anymore? Or did she and was looking for him. Maybe he should have stayed put...But on the other hand. The forest wasn't exactly safe for him. At least not without a proper guide. And it was hard enough to hold a conversation with a human stranger, trying to talk to a magical creature was like expert mode.

He was not ready for expert mode.

Simmons  sighed  as watched the sun climb higher in the sky as he walked along the road, following the signs to the lumberyard where Sarge said Grif worked. He yawned and stretched his arms before rubbing his eyes. He had been drenched again 20 minutes ago by a car passing him and soaking him in a puddle. It wasn't like he was close to being dry anyways but it was still rude. As he watched a black truck pull into the gated area from a distance. He couldn't really make out the driver, but he was also too tired to actually care. 

His mind wandered to the subject about Wolves and their sense of smell. Despite being still soaked he bet that if  Grif  was looking for him, he would be able to smell him. Maybe he could smell him right now. He let that fantasy play out for a little while.

_ Grif  suddenly smelling him and dropping  what ever  he was doing. Pushing past co-workers and friends, following his nose through the yard until he would break out into a run just to find the source. And then their eyes would meet and his arms would wrap around him in a warm embrace. _

He couldn't help the dumb smile on his face until he realized it was there and covered his mouth. His cheeks flushed with  colour .

"There you are!" A voice out of  no where  made Simmons jump and squeal in fear. He clutched his heart and glared at the owner of the voice that was currently behind him. It was C.T who looked very worried. "Jeez I thought you got eaten by something and I would have to tell  Grif . Well...If he is alive that is" Her words slapped him in the face and everything screeched to a stop for Simmons. His eyes were wide as he waited for her to explain herself.

"Look, I don't know if it's happened yet but one of the agents was dispatched to put  Grif  down" The small fairy rested on his shoulder.

"W-Why would they do that?" Simmons couldn't help but tremble.

"Because he is becoming a fallen. At least that's what he is charged with. They even think he was the fallen that attacked you so they put him as a high level risk. But he has been acting strange so he's basically done for" C.T sighed sadly. "I actually think he is becoming one too since you rejected him"

"I-I...I'll explain that it wasn't him okay? I was the one who got attacked so that should have some credit right?" He asked nervously.

    "Well it would clear the charge of him being the fallen that attack the town of Grim but it doesn't completely clear his charge. Wolven turn all the time from rejection.  Grif  is no exception. It's better to put him down now before it festers and rots his insides until he is nothing but blood lust and rotten shell" 

    "I-I won't let him turn into that okay? I just need to talk to him and he will be fine okay? He will be fine!" He started to  march  forward. More determined now than before.

    "It's an irreversible process Simmons- _why do I even bother?_ " She held her head in her hands as she remained on his shoulder. Simmons forgot about his fatigue as he rounded the gates entrance and walked through the parking lot. It was oddly quiet for a lumberyard. He sort of expected some equipment to be going and people talking or at the very least, some trees falling.

The black truck from before wasn't even parked in an actual parking space. It was close to the second gate to the lumberyard. The chain link fence that acted as a gate to keep  wild life  from straying in was busted open by what looked like brute force.

He froze when he saw the scene act out before him. A woman with a gun had it pointed at a very large wolf that Simmons could recognize as  Grif . He snarled at her and Simmons found he was running toward them. C.T was faster and went in front of who he now recognized as  Tex.

    "Stop!" He cried out, directing the attention to him. Simmons watched as Tex switched her aim from the snarling large wolf to him. Her head turning to take a shot before her eyes widened a fraction when she recognized him.

    "Simmons-?" She was cut off by  Grif  taking the chance and pinning her to the ground. Snarling at her for aiming the gun at anyone but him. Simmons saw the panic in her eyes, her mask of calm slip up and fear falling over her. Her finger squeezed the trigger and a gun shot silenced the yard. 

A pitiful whine came from the large beast as it stepped over Tex and fell to the ground. She scrambled up and away, wincing once she put pressure on her foot. She kept it slightly elevated as she trained her gun on  Grif  again. 

There was no way she was going to shoot. He obviously couldn't fight back and he was just defending him.

His eyes caught with Grif's for a moment.

The sheer look of terror was frozen on his own face.

    _**"Stop!"**_ He shouted again and thrust his hand out to try and catch her. Instead his hand tingled and purple, smoke like substance swirled around his hand before blasting forward. It knocked him back onto his rear and blasted Tex away from  Grif . Her weapon went flying through the air and skidded underneath one on sight trucks. The back of his hand burned as Tex cursed loudly and Grif yipping with short breaths. 

He watched a dark lines traced themselves into a symbol on his left hand. Two triangle,almost mirroring each other, the tips overlapping as runes burned themselves on his knuckles. His fingers trembled as he looked at his hands. It was only the left. His palm had a circle with a witching star in the middle. He  felt the air leave his lung in one big breath as he stared, wide eyed and afraid. Green orbs shot back up to meet Grif's. Asking without words what it meant. What did he do? How did he even do it? What was he now?

There were so many questions buzzing around in his head from this incident now. All he wanted to do was apologize to  Grif  and sleep for 14 hours.

Grif  was still bleeding out from the bullet wound. He was trembling and breathing heavily. His eyes looked like they could see far away right now and couldn't focus. Simmons momentarily forgot about his hand and crawled towards him. His fingers buried in black fur as he pulled himself closer to  Grif , lifting his head to his lap.

    " Grif " He whispered. His chest ached when his eyes focused for a moment, looking only at Simmons before he nuzzled closer to him. Simmons was such a fool. His eyes stung and pricked with tears. "Please..." He said softly and his fists tightened. He felt like he was hot and suffocated as a sob racked through his body. Tex stepped forward, her own grief showered over her.

    "Simmons what.."

    _"What did you do to him?"_ The  red head  shouted at her. His angry now directed at her. She took a cautious step back from him. "He was only shot once a-and he is a wolf. He should be able to get back from this so what the hell did you to _my_ wolf!" He screamed.

    "It's.... Its  a silver bullet. _We_ wolven are allergic to silver like the old tales say" Her voice was soft. But Simmons caught it, how she said it. How she included herself in that statement. But why would one wolven attack another like this? Grif did nothing and yet she wanted to kill him like he was nothing to her at all. His hands were still tangled in his fur "In a few more moments he will die from silver poisoning before he has the chance to turn completely into a fallen" Tex said softly. C.T was perched on his shoulder. Her words did nothing to calm him down. He felt panic surge through him. Tears slipped down his cheeks and slid down his chin. Simmons could see so many thing with  Grif  now. He didn't want all of those possibilities to just go away so soon. He couldn't think at all.

_ ~Just be calm and think of making him better~   
_

Simmons inhaled sharply. Squeezing his eyes shut before tried to calm his own nerves. He could still feel the beast breathing for now, so he was fine for a moment. Sort of.

He tried to picture the bullet out of  Grif . Leaving the way it came by subtly popping out of the wound instead of the wound closing around it. Then he tried to think of it mending. Torn muscle binding itself back together, organs repairing any damaged areas. The poison leaving his system harmlessly.

Grif started to whine and Simmons finally opened his eyes to see him squirming around on the ground. The wolf tried to stand up and stretch the pain away. He yelped when he tried to stand. The piece of wood that been wedged in his shoulder was digging into his deeper.

    " Grif  quit it!" He tried to reach over him to grab it, but  Grif  wouldn't stop moving. The pain of having his muscles mend was unbearable. When Simmons had enough, he stood up and climbed onto him. Grif tried shake him off from side to side but Simmons wasn't deterred. Once he had a grip on the piece of wood, he pulled it out quickly. Grif bucked off and sent Simmons in the air before he landed on his stomach with a face full of dirt. 

He eased himself up on his hands and knees, coughing and spitting the dirt out of his mouth. His body ached and screamed with abuse from too many rough rides recently. He heard Tex limping towards him to try and help him up. He took the help where he could find it and offered a small smile to her before rubbing his back with a whimper.

    "That's the second time I've been thrown off an animal today" He muttered. Tex stared at him incredulously as he started back towards  Grif  who had finally gone still. His eyes darted between Simmons and Tex. The red head found himself pausing in front of the large wolf. He watched as the beast carefully shifted his weight from each foot. Testing out his muscles before he set his sights on the forest beyond the fence. Simmons didn't understand what he was doing or why he was even up and not immediately resting. 

    " Grif   _don't!_ " Tex shouted but it was too late.  Grif  took off towards the fence. Leaping over easily before landing on all fours with a skid. Grif paused and looked back at Simmons, giving a small snort before he bolted into the thick wooded forest. Simmons found his own legs moving and he ran after him. Forcing his aching body to move. "Simmons you too? _Seriously?_ " Tex called after him as he climbed the fence. He tumbled over the other side. He landed on his back and groaned before picking himself up again. His knees wobbled and he found himself running again. Leaving behind the two woman and the lumber yard.

* * *

He lost count of how many scratches he had gained from this trip. The numerous amount of bruises that had accumulated from being thrown around like a rag doll. Not to mention he was still suffering from his injuries that the fallen had given him from almost a month before. Cracked ribs are nothing to sneeze at after all. His feet were littered with scratches and cuts and his chin was still bleeding from being scraped against the ground. He want to sleep for a week after everything was all said and done.

Simmons slowed down after a while, from sprinting to a slow walk when he began to realize that he actually didn't have a method for tracking  Grif , or getting back to the lumber yard. He was surrounded by dark and thick woods. No one knew in what exact direction he went, he didn't even know! The forests are big, some parts not even discovered by man because it might be too dangerous. He felt shrouded in a cold whispering shadows. 

He heard crunching leaves and snapping twigs behind him. Warm breath spreading down his back, tingling his spine and sent shivers down his body. His shoulders seized up and he slowly turned around. His heart thumped loudly in his chest, banging off his rib cage at a fast pace. He took slowly shuddering breath's as he looked behind him. His eyes catching glinting sharp fangs and deeps eyes the shade of a bloody sun. He gasped and a nervous whine bubbled within him as the dark figure before him made a rumbling growl in its chest. Simmons bolted forward with a scream caught in his throat. He scrambled through roots and branches, the short bark that followed from the beast behind him made him. Looked behind him as he ran, slowing down once he saw that  what ever  that was....well was no longer behind him. He heaved a few heavy breaths before a different growl to his right made his heart thump faster. He let out a startled  yelp  and stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet and keeping his arms out, he tried to keep his balance.

 A large hoof stepped forward out of the shadows. A tall figure rising from the darkness to reveal itself. A Minotaur with dark fur and angry eyes rose up. Thick black man tangled with curls and knots. It  had a hoop through its nose that snorted with an irritated snarl.  In it's hand was a large stone battle ax. Dark red mark stained along its blade, splattering against the sides. Its grip on it was hard locked as it  stared  Simmons down moving closer to him. Tightly holding the ax, it held it over its large horns, preparing to strike at the young  red head . 

Simmons jumped back but miscalculated and found there to be no more footing and instead, a drop off zone. He flailed his arms helplessly before falling backwards, deeper into the forest. He screamed as he flipped around, mid air to see an old harpy flying towards him. Long blood red matted hair and yellow eyes. It soared upwards towards him and snatched him up by his pajama shirt. Carrying him off like a package.

    "H-Help!" He called out below. Hoping anyone would hear him as he struggled against the old crones claws "Let me- **GO!** " Simmons grabbed the foot of the harpy, only to have it cry out in pain, dropping him. He watched a faint red light leave his hand as he fell through the forest again.

As he tumbled down, he hit branch, upon branch that would snap from the force until he was met with a very solid one. Stopping immediately once he crashed into it. He groaned, the beating his body had taken was starting to make him dizzy. One too many hits to the head possibly. Or maybe he was just tired. Either way he wanted to be asleep.

The hissing of a snake caught his attention and he looked up to find a gorgon, her long body curled around the branched as she slowly made her way towards him. A blindfold over its eyes. Her long fangs poked out from withered old lips as a forked tongue flickered out.

He thrust his hand out again. _**"Go away!"**_ He shouted and the markings lit up again to a familiar purple and he was blasted off the branch onto the forest floor. He landed with thud and felt the air leave his lungs and his vision begin to blur. 

He heard a small whine just before he slipped his consciousness 


	5. Them

  _"Dick look over there! You can see a fairy in the bushes" A soft warm voice and gentle hands surrounded him. He traced his eyes to the point his_ _ mother's  finger painted with an elegant gesture. He saw a small little light with a small fairy. He glowed a soft maroon and was sitting and placing his hands on the stems of the berry bush. Giving them just a little bit of extra life for their fruit to grow nice and big. "They are the forests gardeners, they work the hardest so it's very important to treat them extra nicely" She whispered in his ear. He gave a slow and silent nod. Entranced by the magic being doing their duty to the forest. He sat snugly in his  mother's  lap as she kept her arms around his tummy. Her long  Auburn  hair fell gracefully down her shoulders and tickled his cheeks. He broke his gaze away from the light to look up at his mother, the deepest chocolate eyes were looking back down at him, all the love in the world filled them to the brim and he couldn't help but give his mother with biggest grin he could. She laughed and squeezed him just a little bit tighter and rub her nose with his before she kissed his forehead. _ __

_     "There we are! A picnic fit for a king, or for you darling" Richard held his arms down to scoop up his son. His mother let him go into his  father's  embrace. From soft hands he felt a tough grip that was protective of him. A small hand curled into a gray t-shirt as he looked up at green eyes that matched his. The flaming red hair that he usually kept combed back was less carefully attended today, clumps loose and slightly curled at the ends. He had a brilliant smile as he watched his wife bring a small bowl of nuts and berries to the berry bushes. Placing it gently on the ground as an offering to the forest. Richard carried his small son to the blankets he had set up to have their picnic in the strawberries. Patience loved strawberry's and being outside, he wanted his wife to have as many happy memories he could.  _

_     "Richard quit standing there like doofus and sit down with Dick" Patience snickered as she pulled out a bowl of cheerios for their child. He snorted and gave her a smirk as he sat down beside her, looping his arm around her shoulder and pecked her cheek. Dick squirmed out of his dad's grip and crawled over to bowl of cheerios his mother set out for him. He took a tiny fist full and began munching on them as his mother started to giggle. "Oh sweetie your glasses" She leaned forward and adjusted his specks while Richard rummaged through the picnic basket before his wife swatted his hands. _

_     "Back you pig! I'm not letting you get into the dessert first. You are gonna eat your fruit and sandwich first" She scooted in front of the basket. _

_     "Oh come on, just a little spoonful of the pudding? Pretty please Patience I worked so hard to set this up" He pouted. _

_     "You put like three blankets down on the ground, I'm the one who arranged the pillows and plates while you were looking for the cups in the car when I told you they were already in the basket" _

_ She got him there. He grumbled in defeat but still eyed the basket when she wasn't looking. If he was quick enough he could snatch a cookie. _

_     " Kill joy " He muttered before a sandwich was thrown at his face. "Shit!" He swore and his wife gasped exaggeratedly. _

_     "Language! Not in front of our son, what do you want him to be? Some sort of delinquent?" She huffed with a smile. Richard peeled the wrapped sandwich off his face as he laughed slightly. "This is no laughing matter Richie, god forbid our son learns those words. He might start listening to all sorts of punk music and join a  motor cycle  gang and get his girlfriend pregnant and run away. Oh the horror, the horror!" She wailed. Richard  broke  down into a laughing fit as he clutched his sides. Little Dick watched his parents playfully swat each other, not really knowing what it meant but they were smiling and laughing so it had to be good right?  _

_ He noticed more fairies had started to gather around them, curious and watching them as his parents laughed and continues to joke around. All different  colours  flickered in the bushes, flowers and berries. A mythic sparkle glowed on the plants they touched. Dick saw one wave at him, telling him to come over to one of the rose bushes behind the blackberries. He looked back at his parents who didn't see him, he crawled to the edge of the blanket before he looked over his shoulder again. His parents were still distracted by each other. He stood up on short legs and walked quietly to the fairy that was waving at him. A vibrant green light lit her skin as she sat on top of a rose, she waved him closer and he lent her an ear. She whispered in his ear while watching Richard and Patience. The small boy nodded eagerly and the fairy smiled and scooted down to the thorny stem and carefully broke off the rose. It fell silently to the ground and Dick picked it up carefully. His finger avoiding the sharp thorns. He smiled at the fairy who waved at him  good bye  and he ran towards his dad on wobbly legs. He made it and tugged on the back of his shirt until his father looked behind him. He waved him to lean over to hear him whisper. _

_     "Give this to mommy" He whispered. Patience was leaning over to see what was going. Curious eyes meeting her sons. He showed the rose to his dad, careful to keep it out of her view. Richard smiled and kissed his  sons  forehead and gently plucked it out of his hands. _

_     "Patience, you majestic noodle, our son has given me a gift to give to you" He showed her the red rose. She took it with caution and smiled. A tint of pink brushed her cheeks as she held it. "It would look much better here" He plucked it from her fingers and she gave a sharp gasp. Richard fashioned it into her hair and took a look on her fingers. A small cut had scarlet beads forming already. He swore under his breath before she waved him off. It wasn't a big deal to her. _

_ Richard looked up and around and his face fell. He cursed under his breath as he headed to the car to find a bandage. _

_     "What's wrong with daddy?" Dick asked. His mother shook her head. _

_     "You're father is an idiot. He thinks the faerie folk are just pests. But way back when, people counted on them to help them grow their crops. Your father doesn't like any sort of magic, it's sort of inconvenient" Patience scooted next to her. Dick sat on his  mother's  lap once again and frowned at her bleeding finger. "Wanna see something you can't tell daddy about?" _

_ He nodded again and she smiled at him. _

* * *

He was surrounded by warmth. The same warmth he felt when his mother hugged him as a boy. Everything was soft, dark and just nice and warm. He felt like he could sleep there for an eternity and never have to move again. He wanted to drift back to unconsciousness peacefully back into the pleasant memories of his early childhood. He didn't wanna open his eyes, everything hurt and his body would scream at him if he moved. He tried to stay still and go back into the corners of his own head but something kept registering with him. How his arms were wrapped around something that moved slightly, like breathing. Like how his cheek was pressed against something firm. 

Simmons fought the urge to go back to sleep and pried his eyes open, unimpressed when everything remained blurry. He blinked a couple of times and the blurriness was only adjusted slightly. But he could recognize it better than before, his face was buried in  someone's  neck. His nose buried in long thick hair that made him inhale the scent deeply. He remembered what the scent was, the cologne and cigarettes smell that was in an old orange truck. That would only mean that his arms were wrapped around  Grif . He moved his arms to feel around Grif's torso, they protested greatly but he ignored it, his  finger tips  grazing pectorals and swept down lower, feeling his skin of his belly. Grif shifted with low groan. 

"The fuck?" He grumbled sluggishly, not really processing what was going on. Simmons kept his hands still and just tried to relax, keep his breathing normal and try and doze off again before  Grif  noticed he was  awake.

But the problem was that he was wide awake now. Very aware of everything, the pain his body kept echoing back, that he had fallen off a cliff, that Grif was _naked._ __

    "What the fucking-Hey fuck off!" Grif snapped awake and scrambled away from him. Simmons immediately missed the warmth.  Grif  looked down at him, his eyes narrowed and he pulled the dark fur pelt around him. " 'the hell do you think you were trying while I was asleep you fucking weirdo" He growled at him.

    "Wha? Wait no that isn't what I was-" He tried to prop himself up with his arm. It was like someone took a branding iron to his arm. He  yelped  and landed on his beaten back making him hiss while he held his arm. Everything hurt, everything sucks, why were they even there? Simmons screwed his eyes shut and tried to focus on relax and not the pain, trying to breathe in even breaths. His entire body blossomed in white hot pain, he clenched his jaw but couldn't keep the  whine  in as he turned on his side away from  Grif . But instead of ignoring him, he heard a gasp from behind him. He forgot that his pajama shirt had been torn to shreds by sharp branches and thorns and the endless amount of getting thrown of things in such a small time period. His back was probably black and blue with every  colour  of the rainbow at this point.

    "Why are you even down here?" Grif asked after a long moment.

    "To find you" Simmons said weakly. He heard a scoff behind him. Realistically speaking, Simmons knew that  Grif  would probably be reluctant to talk to him at all. Last time they did he had pointed a gun at his face and told him that he was a monster and to stay away from him. But it was obvious now that was a poor choice to make. But couldn't help but think  Grif  would have answers, things that he needed to know. Like what the hell was going on with him recently, the weird things he could do and the voice that told him what to do. Grif shifted behind him, getting into a more relaxed position.

    "Kinda funny considering last time you tried to shoot me _and_ told me to stay away from you" Simmons bit his lip. He was beginning to think that maybe he shouldn't have bothered with trying to find  Grif  at all. He should've waited for him to come out like anyone else would. But there was a chance that he could've changed, and Simmons just couldn't let that happen. 

    "You're missing the point"

    "You pointed a gun at me"  Grif  crossed his arms to hide anxious fingers. But Simmons would hear the tapping fingers against skin. "Doesn't explain the dome though" 

Wait what?

Simmons opened his eyes and slowly rolled onto his back. Above him was something he couldn't explain. Something like a silver glimmer that flickered between being there and not. It was almost like smoke but he could feel that it was solid without ever even touching it. Did he do this? Too many strange things were going on with him it wasn't hard to believe that he might have done it without even trying to. His eyes slid over to  Grif , he was refusing to look at him. "I-"

    "I was wrong, you aren't the one"  Grif  cut him off. He was lying, Simmons wouldn't be put through all of this just to get lied to before he could even make his apology. He sat up slowly, hissing in pain but it didn't stop him. It only made Grif look at him and he did not miss the concern in his eyes. Everything was spinning in his head, tales of the  wolven  and their origins, witches and the so called fate that he was given. He didn't care if he was pre-programmed for this, the feeling that had been pulling him along was real, he could feel the pain it gave him like any punch and how it felt like he was drowning. It was because of  Grif  and he wasn't going to just be thrown away by anyone like a piece of worthless garbage. 

    " _ **Bullshit**_ " Simmons glared at him. Grif opened his mouth but nothing came out. He didn't expect to be called out on it. But Simmons wasn't finished with him, not by a long shot. He got  onto  his hands and knees and slowly crawled toward the  hawaiian . His limbs felt like they had been clawed at just by moving but he wasn't going to be stopped. "I know that is a fucking lie. I'm not going to sit here and be lied to by someone who claimed to be my fucking _mate_. If you wanna be with me then you are going to have to accept that I was fucking wrong and that I have been looking for you for 8 eight hours just so I could say sorry!" He shouted at him. His heart was beating fast and watched Grif's  adams  apple  bob  while he  he  swallowed thickly.

    "I...I didn't-"

    "That's right you fucking didn't! And when I finally find you Tex is throwing you around like a rag doll and then.."  Grif  brought up his arms to protect him from Simmons weak attempts at hitting him. He finally managed to grab hold of his wrists when the red head started sobbing. He all but collapsed against Grif, sobs wracked through his body. Grif released his wrists and tucked his head into his shoulder, the stunned expression never leaving his face. _"She fucking shot you"_ Simmons rasped. He w anted  to hit himself for breaking down and crying, what kind of man cries when is supposed to be yelling at him?

His father would be disappointed.

Simmons jumped slightly when two hands wrapped around his back and a chin was propped up on his shoulder. A long sigh escaped the other and Simmons hiccuped. They stayed like that for a long time until Simmons would calm down. He didn't hear Grif complain at all, in fact he shifted them into a more comfortable position for them to lay down. When he stopped sniffling he adjusted his head and his nose pressed against his jaw line.

    "I'm still pissed at you" Grif muttered.

    "That's understandable" Simmons whispered back, his breath blowing against his neck. It was the other shift slightly.

    "But,"  Grif  started, pausing to think of what to stay "I can't...I can't just ignore  what ever   _this_ is if you feel it too" Grif said softly, his cheeks burned with every word. He could tell he wasn't the only one, Simmons face had started to warm his shoulder. Grif shouldn't have felt the pride of making him blush swell in his chest...but he did...and he sort of enjoyed every moment of it.

Neither said anything else, letting a silence settle in between them until it became suffocating to them. So many words needed to be spoken, thoughts to be voiced out and questions that needed to be asked. But nothing was spoken, not a single word was uttered for the longest time.

    "How did you know where I was?" Simmons asked quietly. Turning his head to see  Grif's  face.

    "Well, at first I heard you follow me in here, I thought you would turn back but you didn't so I had to track you. When I found you, you were falling off a cliff and into a shit ton of trees. When I got to you this dome popped up and nulled my wolf form" He yawned, wrapping an arm around Simmons to get more comfortable without thinking. "Probably a self defense trigger since you attracted a lot of unwanted attention"

    "And the fur?"

    "Well that happened when I changed, skin of my other form. Some wolven can do it if we concentrate on it" Grif shrugged.

    "So we are wrapped up in your skin" Simmons made a face.

    "Yeah it's fucking morbid" Grif laughed. The  red head  couldn't help the smile the tugged at the corners of his lips, his laugh was infectious. But after his chuckles died down it was back to the silence and odd cuddling. "Now it's my turn for a question, why didn't you say you were knew magic?" Simmons froze.

He didn't exactly know it per say, more like it was an accident. He didn't know he could do anything like it until....until today really. 

Simmons sat up and looked at the dome around them, the one he apparently created to protect them. He didn't remember doing it at all, let alone how to bring it down. He didn't understand and it made him beyond frustrated. He let out a sigh before looking back at the confused man.

    "I don't really know. This all just started to happen and I don't really know what I'm doing when it happens. I just think about things and it happens" The  red head  shrugged. "If I did know how I would get us out of here...but I don't even know to get back home after I do so" He ran a hand through his hair. Pushing it back and letting loose strands pop through. His green eyes were unfocused as he stared off into the distance, unaware of the brown eyes that watched him as he tried to think. The last time he tried to use it someone helped him. A voice that stirred in the back of his mind. A voice that sound so familiar to him but just distorted enough that he couldn't place it. 

    "Well I do know the way out. I know this place well enough to get us out. You'd just have to get rid of this thing so I can put my skin back on" He grinned like a wolf. Simmons gasped slightly appalled. Squirming away from the other.

    "Oh my god that sounds disgusting! _**You're an animal!**_ " Simmons threw his hands up and crawled away from him.. It occurred to him in a moment that  Grif  was. He could hear his howling laughter as he rolled around. He could hear the imitation barks in between his laughs. His pale cheeks burned red while embarrassment of his poor words. But something bloomed in his chest. A nice warm and pleasant feeling that washed in waves over him. He realized that despite the fact he was aching all over, lost in a dark forest and trapped in a dome that he couldn't bring down, but he couldn't help but feel like he was having a good time with  Grif . Despite every bad circumstance that was present, the time he was spending with  Grif  made him oddly happy. He turned back to see  Grif , still draped in his own fur. He had to smile.

If he could, he would want to laugh with him every single day. 

Simmons felt his own cheeks heat up with the sudden thought that had popped into his mind. Surprised that he felt so peace minded about it. But  Grif  caught him staring now and he couldn't just look away.

It was then when he heard it for the first time.

_** The unholy screech. ** _

It echoed through the tall dark trees, wrapping around every curve in the forest, tightening its grip on Simmons heart. All the warmth left his body with a single sound. It didn't sound human or any creature he ever heard before. Like it was something so terrible wasn't supposed to exist.

    "What was that-" An overwhelming sense of dread filled fell upon him and he turned to  Grif , the fearful look in his eyes made him stop. He was frozen until his fist curled into the fur.

    "We need to get out of here right now" He said in barely in a whisper. Grif looked straight at him, wide eyed and with terror flickering through his eyes. "We need to get out of here right now! Lower the shield now!"  Grif  shouted. Simmons stumbled over his own tongue as it lay thickly in his mouth. Grif inched towards him, grabbing his arm tightly.

    "Now! Now! We need to leave before it finds us!" Grif started shaking him.

    "Wh-What finds us?" Simmons squeaked.

    "I-I think its a dweller, these big fucking weird creatures! They are immune to magic and shit so we need to go! Like now!"  Grif  shouted. Simmons heart picked up the pace. What was he supposed to do? Grif was really scared and he didn't know what to do. How was he supposed to put up a shield that he didn't even know he put up. Every time had used his new found ability he was conscious and his will powered what it did. 

He tried to think it to go away but it didn't work. He moved away from Grif's tight grip and started banging on the shield. "Come on go away! Go away!" He started shouting at while he pounded against. Begging it to release them go. "What the hell is going on-" Another screech. This time it was much closer and he swallowed thickly. 

    "M-Maybe you should keep it up. If it doesn't know where we are...it shouldn't find us right?" Grif spoke quietly.

    "Y-Yeah I mean...I can't make it go down anyway-" A chuckle echoed through the dome. A mocking laugh as the magic tinted to golden shade before exploding around them, getting blown away from them like it was torn away. It faded into smoke and Simmons stared fearfully at Grif. "I didn't-" A cry for blood  ripped through the forest once again. Simmons head snapped towards the sound. His breathing becoming erratic as he started to crawl backwards into  Grif . The fur getting pulled out from under him as he could hear the other grunting as he tried to put it back on as fast as he could. He didn't turn around to look, only standing up shaking. It felt like ice was running through his veins as the fog of the forest curled around him once again. Tickling his skin as he looked around in the dark fearfully. 

    "What the fuck I can't...Fuck it Simmons let get the hell out of here" Grif grabbed his arm and  pulled  him away from the spot they had been trapped in. Simmons finally started running with him. Climbing over fallen dead trees that lay in their path that  Grif  led them on. The  red head  didn't even register the sharp rocks digging into his feet as he ran from the creature that was chasing them. He didn't dare l ook back. Until they took a sharp turn and they saw it.

It was small and sort of looked like human. Maybe the size of a child. Dark circles  were under its sunken in eyes. It had no lips only a few sharp teeth that was  bared  at them as it ran after them. Its long fingers were chewed down to the bone it make sharp bloodied claws. It was covered in scratches the littered its arms and face that were most likely self inflicted. Its pale skin was  discoloured , too pale to be alive but its veins were visible through its skin. Any hair that it had was either pulled out or had fallen out. The tattered clothes were shredded and covered in blood, both old and new.

"What the fuck is that thing?" Grif screamed. Seeming to pick up his pace as it smashed into a tree, causing the tree to fall over with the sheer amount of strength the creature had. Splinters of wood that would normally  pierce  anyone's skin just bounced off it harmlessly. But the tree fell in the pairs favor. Crashing down on top of it as it screeched. Catching it by surprised as it fell on top of him. They stopped and watched as it started to try and squirm its way out. Thrashing around and screaming, trying to claw  its  way towards them. Digging at the dirt in vain until it twisted its torso around. Placing its bloodied hands again the tree and pushing up. The large tree began to lift off of it. 

The creature threw it off of itself and Grif and Simmons began running as fast as they could again. 

Sun light was beginning to peak through the trees above them, spotting the ground with splashes of light. 

    "It's this way come on!"  Grif  shouted at him. He was panting heavily, he wasn't used to running so much in his human form. Simmons wasn't as bad as him but he could see that the entire day as taking a toll on him. He kept stumbling as he tried to keep him eyes forward and run. Trying to ignore its screeching or how it was gaining on them quickly. It definitely wasn't a dweller, it would have left them alone as soon as sunlight started peaking through. He glanced back at it. The drool coming out of its mouth reminded him a dog drooling over a raw steak, and soon after receiving the steak it would tear into it with sharp teeth and no mercy. 

They hit the fence with enough force to bounce off of it and onto their asses. They scrambled back up and ran down the road the led to the rear gate of the lumber yard. The thing dove for the spot they had fallen, getting its head caught under the fence. It squirmed again and lifted its head up, pulling the chain link fence with it until it ducked its head under and stood up, sniffing the air until its sights set on the two again. It cried out again and started running towards them.  Grif  let out a long string of curses as they ran towards the gate, throwing it open and slamming it shut behind them. Locking it and backing away quickly from it. Simmons took Grifs hand and led them back further as the thing stood in front of the gate silently. Not moving and just staying silent as it watched them move away from it.

    "Why wouldn't it just climb over it" Simmons whispered quietly before Grif nudged him.

    "Don't give that thing any fucking ideas. If its dumb enough be stumped by a gate with a shit lock then thank fucking god" He hissed at the  red head .

  


He heard the door open from behind them as Tex limped out with a couple of workers and what seemed to be C.T in a human form. Helping her along by acting like a sort of crutch. When they noticed them Tex froze and C.T immediately starting howling. "Jesus Simmons you work fast" He was confused for a moment. Had they not even seen what happened? What was at the gate just waiting to tear them apart. He finally looked down at  Grif  to realize. He was completely naked.

    "Not that's not- Didn't you see it?" He pointed at the gate. It was gone. He blinked confused until the ungodly screech ripped through the air again. It had moved further down the fence, its fingers slowly wrapping around the chain link before tightening as it began to pull it apart like it was nothing. "Oh my god...Oh my fucking god run! Run!" Simmons started pulling  Grif  back. Tex finally looked over to where they screaming at. Immediately drawing her gun and shooting at it. Her aim was impeccable, every single shot she fired hit her target. 

The only problem was that it didn't seem to faze. Its skin was thicker than it looked. It was like it didn't even notice the bullets as it pulled apart the fence. It stepped through slowly and stood quietly before letting out a cry and charging towards them. C.T tried to help Tex to go faster, limping as fast as she could. Her weapon still trained on the thing that was running across the yard towards them.

No one saw it coming. The truck that barreled from the parking lot and hit the creature, running over it and stopping the wheel on its head before the gear shift was put into neutral and then revved. The wheel grinding down again its face as it thrashed around, trying to get away from the truck.

Eventually it went limp and the driver cautiously got out on the passenger side. Moving around to the front to see the damage they caused to the creature.

    "Jones...You get a fucking raise" Grif said breathlessly.

    "Sir please don't say that while you're naked" The young lumbermen sighed. Grif looked down before his face darkened and glanced at Simmons just in time to catch sneaking a peek. They both looked away, pretending it didn't happen before someone threw a large dark  grey  work suit at him. Grif took it gratefully and slipped it on. The reflective tape wasn't so much a  bother  as he used to think it was. Now he was just glad to be wearing something. "So....What is that _thing_? A wendigo? They don't look like how I heard from stories. I thought they were supposed to be....taller and bigger and only come out at night." Jones scratched his head, staring down at the creature he had run over.

    "We aren't that unlucky" Grif sighed.

    "That and, if it was, those two wouldn't have made it out the forest. Wendigo's are just legend, so far there has been no documented sightings in the most paranormal area in the world so I don't think they exist" Tex sat down on the steps leading to Grifs small office building again. Simmons followed her to get a better look at her ankle, Church might kill him, or just swear excessively until he passed out...Probably the latter of the two. Grif was following the red head as Jones got closer to the corpse, muttering about how he  as  going to get the bits out of his grill. Inching closer to try and see the things face.

A hand shot out and caught him by the collar. Jones shrieked as the others turned to see that _**it**_ was still very much _alive_. It had gotten onto its belly and slowly rose up, pushing the truck off its back and causing it to roll onto its side. the young lumbermen kicked at the east in an attempt to break free of its hold on him. He managed one lucky kick that made the monster drop him as it remained stunned for a few seconds. Jones scrambled on the ground trying to crawl away as fast as he could. A loud screech ripped through the air as the thing had come to and was not please to find its prey trying to get away. 

It launched itself at him. The others stumbled back to try and steer clear of its blood lust and hunger. Baring it few and sharp teeth, it extended its arms and caught Jones leg again, dragging him towards the hole in the fence as he kicked and screamed. Tex had her gun aimed again, pulling the trigger only to find she was out of bullets. Jones cried and pleaded for his life, gripping at the patched of grass and thrashing around. His face was dragged against asphalt and he screamed in pain. His leg yanked so harshly that it made a sickening pop and crack before it was dropped. The thing loomed over him, drool dripping down its chin before its claws dug into his shoulders. Jones screamed before it was cut off. The creature bit into his throat, leaving him only with one last gurgle before it ripped out his jugular. Making a small hissing screech, almost out of annoyance before it left the yard, dragging Jones body with it for later feasting.

 Blood stained the ground by the fence and  Grif  could only stare at it while Simmons threw up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it wouldn't be halloween without something scary right??  
> Yeah  
> Sorry this chapter is so short but like, its all set up set up set up until I can get to the scene I want to. And its important to build tension and you know, have first meetings with the great evil of the story. Really I don't apologize for the scarring I have caused my audience, you all need a scary story once and while. Keep you on your toes.  
> So raise your hand if you had no idea this story was gonna be a horror story!


End file.
